Family
by forensicsgirl
Summary: Sequel to Kathy & Belief. As Angel and Cordy begin to realize their feelings for each other, Cordelia's visions continue to take their toll. But worse is to come, as the real reason for Kathy's resurrection by the PTB finally becomes clear. AUS2. AC
1. Prologue

**Author's Note: **I am extremely late with this story. I had intended to start it shortly after completing "Belief", but real life, and other stories, got in the way.

**Family** is the sequel to **"Kathy" **and **"Belief"** and is the third, and final, story in my **Little Sister Series. **If you haven't read these yet, you may wish to do so before you read this - the links are in my profile.

This series of stories takes place in Season Two of **Angel**, just after Angel fires the team (the team reforms during "Kathy"). For those who choose not to read the earlier stories, Kathy is based on the character of Angel's sister, as seen in "The Prodical" (season 1), who is brought back by the powers that be and, now a grown woman, has come into Angel's life to help him along his path.

**Disclaimer: **I own nothing connected to Angel the series, unless you count my DVDs, books and memories of a wonderful show.

**Rating: **To be safe, I'm giving this a T (PG-13) rating, but I don't think it will go much beyond PG.

* * *

**Family **

**Prologue.**

_Firelight flickered through the shadows of the forest. The sound of chanting - a low monotonous hum - filled the air. The air was eerily still, as though lying in wait for something - someone. _

_She stepped softly on the mossy ground, silence and the cover of night her only guardians. If they found her here, they would kill her. Or worse. _

_Her foot stepped on a dry twig, concealed by the fallen leaves. The snapping sound it made seemed to reverberate all around the forest. _

_Silence, save for the beat of her heart thrumming in her ears._

_They knew she was there._

_Branches snatched at her clothes and flesh as she fled, running as fast as she could through the pitch blackness of the trees. Several times she stumbled, landing hard on the earth, a treacherous root having ensnared her foot. She did not pause to catch her breath, did not wait to see if they were still following her._

_She knew they were close behind. She could sense them, just as they could sense her. And this was _their _forest. They knew it at night as well as by the sun's light. _

_It was only a matter of time before they found her…_

_And they would find her. They always found her._

_Shadows moved towards her. Hooded figures gathering, circling around her. She was surrounded. Trapped. _

_They grabbed her, pinned her to the ground. There were so many, she couldn't even begin to count them. But they spoke with one voice._

Vengeance.

_They whispered the word again and again and they held her struggling form. Someone stood over her holding a cup of some kind - a chalice, she thought. They held it above their head, before pouring the contents into her mouth, down her throat._

_She gagged at the coppery taste. Blood. Warm blood. _

_Human blood._

_Eyes wide, she fought them, tried to get away. As they pulled her down to the ground once more, she saw his face._

_Angel._

_His arms were tied above his head. Bound to a tree, he could not move. Could not save her. As the sea of cloaked figures swallowed her up, she saw his face in the flickering torchlight morph to his vampire visage and back again. With eyes full of despair, he could only mouth two words._

I'm sorry.

_And then she was gone. Swallowed up by the darkness…_

* * *

Cordelia woke covered in sweat, her heart thumping out it's panicked rhythm.

It took her a few moments to realize that it had all been a dream. She was safe in her own bed, far away from the forest and the hooded mob.

Pain flickered through her head like electric shocks - the aftermath of the bad dream, she supposed. She felt drained, as though she truly had been running through the trees, really had been fighting for her life.

She could still taste the blood. Gagging at the memory, she rushed to the bathroom and spat into the sink, rinsing her mouth over and over again with cold, clean water.

Still the taste would not go away.

The visions had been getting steadily worse for months. Headaches, nausea, exhaustion - they had all been par for the course. Side effects of having the power to see the future and to save innocents as a result. But she was determined to accept the pain and keep going. Even when despair filled her heart and the anguish she experienced during a vision followed her for days, she still kept as much of it from Angel and the others as possible.

This was _her _mission. Angel had to deal with his curse day after day. _I have to deal with this_, she told herself.

But these dreams were different, completely unlike the visions she was used to. They felt old, as though she were experiencing something that had happened long ago. But at the same time, they felt tied to her own present and her immediate future, in a way she had not yet figured out.

Whatever they were, she had not yet told Angel or Wesley about them. Partly because she didn't want to worry them. And partly because she knew what Angel wanted to do.

He had brought the idea up several weeks ago, when a particularly bad vision had sent her into a coma. Angel's sister, Kathy, had been able to bring her back, but the damage had been done. Angel now wanted to take a more pro-active approach at dealing with the effect the visions were having on her.

He suggested that Cordelia have them removed altogether.

Cordelia had refused, of course. They were _her _visions. They were the only thing that connected her to the mission and to the Powers That Be. Without them, Angel would be flying blind.

Angel hadn't been happy with her decision and had tried his best to talk her out of it, but she had stood firm.

Now he monitored her constantly, as though afraid she might slip back into that vegetative state at any moment. And although his over-protective nature irritated her, she also appreciated it more than she would ever let him know.

Climbing back into bed and pulling the covers up to stave off the chill which the nightmare had brought on, Cordelia considered her options. She really needed to talk to someone - someone who could figure out what these dreams meant and why she was having them. But if she went to Wesley, he'd insist upon telling Angel.

Kathy. The solution presented itself in her mind, but she immediately had doubts. Yes, she trusted Kathy, but the girl was also Angel's sister. It was possible that she, like Wesley, would insist that the vampire be told.

Then again, Kathy knew all too well what Angel was like when faced with something he didn't know the answer to - he charged in, fangs first, without thinking of the consequences. She might agree to hold off on telling him until they knew more.

Resolving to make the decision in the morning, Cordelia rolled over and closed her eyes, hoping for just a few hours of dreamless sleep before work.

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	2. Chapter One

**Chapter One.**

Kathy came through the door of the Hyperion hotel juggling five cups of Starbucks coffee, two bags of muffins and a large, archaic book. Tripping over himself to be helpful, Wesley dashed forward to relieve her of some of the burden.

It was only when she was settled and sipping her large mocha, no cream, that she noticed someone was missing.

"Where's Cordy?"

"She called. She's running a little late this morning."

Kathy looked over her shoulder. Through the open door to the office, she could see her brother in full brood-mode. Picking up a cup of strong black coffee she went to join him.

"Hey. Coffee?"

He didn't look up. "Sure. Thanks."

She gave him a moment to be sociable before she decided to force the issue.

"Something up?"

He shook his head, his eyes still focused on the book he was pouring over. "No. Why would anything be up?"

"Because you've been brooding in here for almost a week, with your nose stuck in a book. Forgive my curiosity, but you've got a 'something's up' look about you."

Sighing, he closed the volume, finally meeting her eyes. The eye contact did not alleviate her concern, however, as in them all she saw worry.

"I'm worried about Cordy," he finally admitted, in a low voice that only she could hear. "I've been researching to try and find something to help her."

"I told you that I was working on it," Kathy told him, not really surprised at his admission. It had become clear to her how much Cordelia meant to him, and she knew how helpless he felt when it came to her visions and the pain they were causing her.

"I know. But you're still recovering. I don't want you overdoing it."

Kathy rolled her eyes as his overprotective nature once again rose to the surface. It had been six weeks since a particularly violent religious sect had kidnapped her and almost tortured her to death. But Kathy was not an ordinary woman - she was also a skilled witch with a great deal of knowledge in the realm of healing magic. As a result, her recovery had been rapid.

"Angel, you know I'm fine. And even if I wasn't 100 percent, we're talking about meditation, relaxation exercises. It's hardly transmogrification."

Angel opened his mouth to argue back but stopped short at the sight of Cordelia entering the hotel. In a flash he was up and out of the office, hovering around her and asking questions.

"Morning Cor. How are you feeling? Did you sleep okay? Do you want a muffin? Kathy brought some in. And coffee. Your favorite - tall, non-fat vanilla latte."

Cordelia looked ready to turn and leave the building again. Instead, she marched past Angel and dropped her bag on top of her desk.

"Any new cases?"

Wesley and Gunn shook their heads regretfully and muttered something about weapons needing sorted. Like two cats trying to avoid a rainstorm, they slunk off towards the basement.

Angel was moving towards her to try again when Cordy rounded on him.

"Angel, can I please come in here just _one_ day without you subjecting me to the third degree?"

"But…"

"No! I'm sick of it. I do not need to be coddled or fussed over or protected like I'm going to die any second. I'm fine. Okay? I'm _fine_. And I really don't need you to… to…"

Her rant was cut short by the blinding pain that suddenly invaded her mind. Images shot past her eyes in rapid succession, feeling for all the world like they were being forced into her head with a red hot poker. The images came in disjointed flashes -

_A baby. Crying in his crib as the building around him shook. _

_The same child, cradled in her arms. _

_A young man - barely more than a teenager._

She felt herself wobble as the vision ended, but Angel caught her before she could fall. Gently, he eased her into her chair.

Her head continued to throb even though the vision had ended. The meager breakfast she had managed to eat threatened to come up. But more than anything, she felt frustration. Because she had sensed no immediate danger in the vision, and no clue as to who the child or the teenager were, or even if they needed to be saved. If that was the case, then why were the Powers bombarding her mind with a useless vision?

"Are you okay?" Angel asked. "What did you see?"

"A whole lot of nothing," she told him. "A baby. A boy. An earthquake. It didn't feel like a regular vision, Angel. More like an infomercial. With very little info. And a whole lot of pain."

She reached into her bag and pulled out some pills. She popped them into her mouth and swallowed them with water which Kathy had brought her.

"Why would the Powers send you visions for no reason?"

Cordy shrugged. "Their idea of a good time? I don't know."

Angel looked at her closely. "They're getting worse, aren't they? The headaches."

Cordelia shook her head but didn't meet his eyes. "I don't know what you mean, Angel. They're no worse than they've always been."

He turned to his sister. "What can we do about the headaches? Is there anything you can give her?"

"Angel," Cordy protested.

"No Cordy. We need to get you some help."

"Angel!" she said again, as another vision hit. This time her breakfast did come up, and she barely missed Angel's shoes. Her body convulsed as the pain consumed her. "Ow! Oh, god. There's a girl. A bunch of vamps have her in their lair. A sewage subsystem a couple of blocks north of Prescott."

"I'm on it. Kathy?"

She nodded. "I'll look after her."

"Take Wes and Gunn," Cordy called after him. "There were a lot of vamps."

She waited until Angel was out of earshot. Then she groaned and collapsed forwards onto her desk.

"What can I do, Cordy?" Kathy asked.

With difficulty, the seer turned her head to look at her friend. "You can help me figure out what the hell's going on. But first, you can help me lie down before I pass out."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	3. Chapter Two

**Author's Note: **I forgot to mention in my earlier writer's note (although it's probably obvious by now) that this series has become an AU for season two, branching off from the end of** Reunion. **That fact will prove to be important a little later in the story.

* * *

**Chapter Two**

Angel led the way through the dank tunnel, his vampire eyes untroubled by the gloom. His sensitive hearing picked up what his companions could not, and he held up a hand which stopped them in their tracks.

"Just up ahead," he mouthed and they nodded, readying their weapons.

Four vampires sat around a make-shift table in their lair, suffering from varying degrees of boredom. In terms of their species, they were all fairly young, all but one having been turned within the past decade. Equal to their youth was their frustration. They should have been out hunting tonight. But they were under orders to stay put. Something was brewing, they had been told. Something larger than their urge to hunt for fresh blood.

So instead, they were playing cards.

A blonde vamp wearing a Metallica t-shirt threw a handful of chips into the center of the table. "I'll raise you. Next three kills."

The vamp beside him with spiked hair laughed derisively. "I'll see your bet and I'll raise you another three necks."

The vamp with long hair groaned and dropped his card onto the table. "I fold."

"Pussy," the vamp wearing a letterman's jacket replied. "I'll see your bets and I call."

One of the grates in the lair swung open, interrupting their game. Five more vampires entered, a young terrified girl in their midst.

"Yum. Snacks," the Metallica fan said.

The long-haired vamp was less impressed. "You couldn't have grabbed a few more? She's not really enough to share between nine of us."

One of the newly arrived vampires grabbed the girl towards him and smelled her neck. "Sometimes it's not quantity, boys. It's quality. She's a gypsy."

The others licked their lips appreciatively.

"I hear gypsies are the best screamers," one commented. To prove his point, he grabbed her by the hair and pulled her head back. Terror flashed in her eyes, but the girl didn't make a sound. "Damn, bitch! Scream."

"Here's another idea," a voice behind them said. All heads turned to see Angel and his two companions filling the entrance. "How about you do the screaming for a change."

Before they could react, Angel had swept in and swung his sword, slicing through the long-haired vamp's neck like butter. His bones were still turning to dust when his sent his fist into Metallica-fan's face.

Armed with his homemade axe, Gunn batted one vampire out of the way before cutting down a second.

Wesley ducked around the battle, attempting to reach the girl, but the vamp in the letterman's jacket blocked his way.

"Come on, you nerd," he goaded. "I'm gonna kick your ass."

Affronted, Wesley pushed his glasses further up his nose and readied his sword. "I am _not_ a nerd."

* * *

When she was settled on the bed in Angel's room, Cordelia had told Kathy everything, describing each dream and vision in as much detail as she could remember. With each moment that passed, Kathy felt herself become more and more unsettled. The dreams - particularly those which occurred in the forest which Cordy had described - rang eerily familiar.

Kathy waited until the seer was asleep before silently leaving the room and returning to the lobby. She thanked the goddess that the boys were still out. She needed some time to think.

She had known the risks involved when she decided to make Angel aware of her existence and insert herself into his life. It hadn't been an easy decision for her. Her purpose was to steer him back towards his true path - the one which Wolfram and Hart had derailed him from by bringing Darla back into his life. In doing so, Kathy had helped to prevent a great deal of future heartache for everyone involved. But it was not without an equal measure of sacrifice.

A sacrifice which, deep in her heart, she knew she had no right to choose for her brother.

So far, things seemed to be working out perfectly. But she had been constantly on alert, waiting for the day that repercussions would come baring down on all of them. There were forces in the world - besides the Powers and Wolfram and Hart - that had a vested interest in the vampire with a soul. Those who would stand in his corner as allies. And those who, if they caught wind of Angel's reasserted path and growing contentedness, would be less than happy.

Kathy thought of the ritual in Cordy's dream, her mouth set in a grim line. Cordelia may not yet know what her dreams meant, but Kathy certainly did. She had recognized it immediately for what it was - a gypsy blood vengeance ritual. No one did vengeance quite so well as the Romani, but one clan in particular stood head and shoulders above the rest in terms of sheer vindictiveness.

Of all the people to piss off, her big brother had to have crossed the Kalderash clan.

Her grandmother had told her all about the gypsy rituals. The vengeance magic that they used. Her stories had been vivid in their detail - not to frighten Kathy, but to prepare her. Life as a messenger for the Powers, particularly with her connection to Angel, would inevitably mean going up again the Kalderash.

Frustrated, she rubbed her hands across her face and went to the bookcase. When she located the correct volume, she carried it to the desk and sat down. She needed information, and fast. The visions were a warning, not only to Cordelia, but to all of them. The Kalderash had plans for Angel and it wouldn't be long before they made their presence know. Kathy needed to be ready.

As she read up on her enemy, Kathy found her mind wandering towards the Aberjian prophecy. She had not looked at it yet. Part of her longed to read it, to see if anything had changed since her arrival in Angel's life. But she avoided looking for the very same reason.

What if the wrong things had changed?

She could no longer bury her head in the sand. Outside forces were now coming into play, as she always knew they would. Things had been set in motion. She could do nothing to prevent them - all she could do was be prepared to face them. And that meant one thing.

She would have to tell Angel and the others the truth.

* * *

The fight had been fast and furious, with blood and dust filling the stagnant air.

The vampires were falling fast. Flex, the leader of the group held back from the fight, one hand hooked around the gypsy-girl's arm at all times. When only two of his crew remained as distractions, he sneered at her.

"Time to die."

Grabbing her close, he sunk his teeth into her neck, savoring the rich, spicy blood that coated his tongue. The taste of her fear and the adrenaline of the battle raging around them made his appetite even deeper, but he forced himself to stop drinking after only a few mouthfuls. No - this girl was to serve a quite different purpose that a just simple meal.

Flex watched as the vampire named Angel dusted his last opponent. The smell of fresh, human blood drew his attention, and he began to stalk towards Flex and the girl.

"Let her go," he ordered, his game-face still firmly in place.

"As you wish," Flex told him, shoving the girl with all his might across the room and into the ensouled vampire's arms. With a laugh, he spun around and fled towards the exit, only to find his path blocked by Gunn and his hubcap axe.

"Going somewhere?" the young street fighter asked, before removing Flex's head from his shoulders.

The smell of the girl's blood and the fast pounding of her heart awoke a dark hunger within Angel. Looking down, he watched, fascinated, as blood welled up from the twin puncture wounds in her neck. Blood pounded in his head as the rest of the world seemed to fade away, save for the red, nourishing nectar before him. Instinctively, he licked his lips.

Wesley looked on, his worry growing. "Angel?" There was no reply, his vampiric friend seeming to be in a trance. "Angel!" he said more urgently, moving forward now and touching him on the shoulder.

The contact seemed to snap Angel out of it. He looked up and shook his head as if to clear it. "Sorry. I - uh - sorry." Still steadying the girl, he reached down and tore a strip from his shirt. He pressed it against her neck to staunch the flow of blood and helped her into a chair.

"Are you okay?" he asked her.

She looked at him, still terrified, and only then did Angel realize that he still wore his demonic face. He had transformed back to normal when he heard a voice behind him.

"You wanted to drink her, didn't you Vampire?"

The man was old, his skin swarthy and wrinkled with age. A dark hat, which toned in with the rest of his clothing, was pulled low, shading his eyes. He leaned heavily on a cane, but something about his demeanor told Angel not to underestimate him.

"Who are you?"

"I am but one of many, Demon," he said, his accent thick - Eastern European, if Angel had to guess. "The girl is my granddaughter. As was Janna."

Guilt clouded Angel's eyes as he realized who the man was referring to. "Jenny." A whisper, laced with pain and remorse. "You're one of the Kalderash."

The man locked eyes with the girl and without a word she scurried to stand by his side. He then turned his gaze towards Angel, not a trace of fear in his eyes.

"There will come a time when you can not resist. When your friends are not there to stop you. Your true nature is ever present, just beneath the surface. And yet you continue to live among them. As though one of them?"

"I…" Angel found himself at a loss for words, the truth of the man's words ringing all too clear. "I'm just trying to help."

"Atonement is not possible, Demon. Not while your heart grows lighter everyday. You are meant to suffer, not to love. And you _will_ suffer, Vampire. This is only the beginning."

* * *

**To Be Continued...**


	4. Chapter Three

**AUTHOR'S NOTE: I honestly can't apologise enough. I've been a terrible, neglectful writer. My only excuses for abandoning this story for as long as I have are that I got a life, changed jobs and countries a couple of times and well, you know the drill. However, consider the extended break over. I finished NaNoWriMo (my first win) and am now raring to go with this story.**

**So without further ado...**

**Title: Family**

**Author: forensicsgirl**

**Rating: T (PG-13)**

**Summary: See prologue**

**Disclaimer: If you recognise them, they belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt and Mutant Enemy. I'm just borrowing them for a little while. This is for entertainment purposes only, not profit.**

* * *

**Chapter Three**

Kathy was in deep research mode when the lobby doors swung open and three less than jubilant warriors returned home. Gunn and Wesley merely looked concerned, but Angel seemed utterly despondent. With barely a glance in his sister's direction, he went into the office and shut the door.

"It didn't go well, I take it."

Gunn shrugged, but it was Wesley who answered. "The vampires are no more and the girl is safe."

Kathy felt like she was missing something. "Okay… So why the glum faces?"

"Well, you know how you wanted Angel to quit brooding over Cordy's visions?" Gunn asked. "Well, now he's got something else to brood over. Some weird-ass old man put the bugga-boo up him."

"Translation?"

Wesley sighed. "We ran into a member of the Kalderash."

"Oh," Kathy replied, not altogether surprised. "Damn. I hoped we would have more time."

"More time? You knew?"

Kathy rose from her chair, bringing the book she'd been reading with her. "Not exactly. But while you were out, Cordy told me about these dreams and visions she'd been having. They've all revolved around the gypsies, and some sort of ritual. I think that the Kalderash are planning something. I just don't know what yet."

"Well, we'd better figure it out. And soon," Gunn replied. "Because Angel's seriously wigged out."

"I'll talk to him," Kathy said.

Wesley nodded. "I'll start researching."

Kathy paused on her way to the inner office. She knew the time for avoidance was over, and the ex-watcher was the man in possession of some of the answers she needed.

"Wesley, do you still have the scroll of Aberjian?"

He looked up from the book, curious. "Of course."

"I'm going to need to see it later," she said, but resisted explaining further. There would be time for that later.

She walked hesitantly towards Angel's inner sanctum, fairly certain of what waited for her behind the closed doors. She found her brother staring into space, unsurprisingly in full brood-mode.

"Hey."

"Hey," he barely responded.

"The guys told me what went down at the nest." His pained expression was his only response. "Look, I don't need to tell you how the Kalderash operate. You've been living with their handiwork for over a hundred years. So whatever they said…"

"I almost drank from a human tonight." The words, monotone in their delivery, cut her off. "I saved her and then, for a moment, I wanted to kill her."

"But you didn't." Sitting on the edge of the desk, she reached out a hand and rested on his shoulder. Instantly, he leapt up as though her touch burned him.

"But I could have. If Wes and Gunn hadn't been there…"

"But they were. Angel - you can't hate yourself for things that you could have done or even things that you almost done. We've all _almost_ done something we'd regret."

"He told me that one day I wouldn't be able to stop myself. That the urge to kill would always be with me and one day I'd give in if I don't stay away from the temptation." Angel stopped, finally meeting Kathy's eyes. "He was Jenny Calendar's grandfather."

Kathy showed no outward sign that his words had any effect, but inside her soul turned to ice. If he was in the mix then she was running out of time. She would have to tell Angel the truth. But first, she would need to bring him out of his despair.

"Angel, you live with your demon, day in and out. I'm not going to deny that. But you can't isolate yourself. You can't complete your mission without the help of your friends, the people who care about you." She paused. This was perhaps not the best time to broach the subject of Cordelia's visions and the effect they were having, but Kathy knew that there was no better way of motivating Angel into action. "I talked to Cordy while you were out."

As predicted, that got his attention. "How is she?"

"Okay. She's sleeping upstairs at the moment. That last vision wore her out." Kathy took a deep breath before she continued. "She's been dreaming about the Kalderash."

"What?"

"She's been having the same dream over and over. A gypsy blood vengeance ritual. I don't know if it's something that's going to happen, or if she's dreaming of things from the past. But after hearing what she had to say today, I'm not really surprised about your encounter earlier."

She considered whether or not to tell him about the rest of Cordelia's visions and decided against it. She hadn't fully figured out what was going on herself yet, and there was little point in upsetting Angel further until she knew more.

Angel got up. "I'm going to go check on her."

Kathy nodded and watched as her brother swept out of the office and up the grand stairs of the Hyperion. As glad as she was to be here and to have Angel back on the path he was destined to follow, it didn't come without a price. And soon the price would become clear to all involved.

* * *

_The baby was crying. Cordelia immediately reached for him, picking him up out of the bassinet and cuddling him close to her. A quick check confirmed that he wasn't wet. He had just wanted to be held. Cordy didn't begrudge him that. She relished any and every opportunity to have snuggle time with her little guy.  
_

_It took only seconds for the baby to stop crying after she picked him up, which just served to prove her theory. She continued to rock him as she moved around the office, filling papers with one hand. She had really gotten the hang of this mom thing.  
_

Wait. Mom? _Her unconscious kicked in for just a moment, and then the strange feeling of _otherness_ passed.  
_

_She looked down at the bundle in her arms. He was perfect, every inch of him. She felt her heart fill, just watching him yawn and settle down sleepily into her embrace.  
_

_Angel came up behind them and she wondered how long he'd been watching them. He peered over her shoulder at the tiny bundle and grinned, reaching out to let the baby snag one of his fingers in his surprisingly strong grip.  
_

_She met Angel's eyes as he stood before her and she gently passed the baby to him. His grin became softer, full of warmth and caring as he first looked at her and then the child in his arms. She loved seeing him like this. Happy and relaxed. Almost… ordinary.  
_

_Suddenly she was standing in front of a very different Angel. Ashamed. Closed off. And something else. Something she couldn't quite put her finger on. The baby was gone and, instead, Angel was standing in a locked cage.  
_

"_Cordy-"  
_

"_No," she said, cutting him off.  
_

_He looked puzzled. "I didn't say anything."  
_

"_True, but I thought I should tell you upfront that I don't take orders from guys too scared to step out of their cages."  
_

"_I made the right call," he said. "This way, everybody stays safe."  
_

"_And you don't have to look anyone in the eyes. Bonus."  
_

_Angel sighed.__ "I hate that you saw me like that."  
_

_Cordelia looked down, her own shame surfacing.  
_

"_Guess it's only fair," she said as she looked up to meet his gaze. "Angelus said you saw me at one of my not-most-shining moments. Besides, you're not him. You think we don't get that, but we do."  
_

"_What if— What if the spell doesn't last?"  
_

"_The Powers need a champion, Angel. And obviously they need one pretty bad the way things are going." She smiled at him. "Who knows, you might even be their only hope, Obi-Wan."  
_

_Finally, he returned her smile. "So, how do I go up there?"  
_

"_Easy. Leave him and what you did inside the cage." She moved forward, unlocking both locks on the cage door before slipping the keys into her pocket.  
_

_As Angel moved forward, out of the cage, she took his hand. "You're not Angelus."  
_

_At her words,__ he morphed into his vampire visage and pulled her roughly towards him, grinning. "Guess again!"  
_

_Acting on little more than instinct, Cordelia kneed Angelus in the groin and punched him in the face. She knew that she'd never make it up the stairs in time so instead she moved into the cage and slammed the door shut, putting the metal bars between her and the vampire that wanted to rip her throat out.  
_

_Angelus reached through the bars and grabbed her, pulling her towards him and making her hit head on the bars with a sickening thud. As she collapsed, slipping into unconsciousness, she was vaguely aware of him moving towards the staircase leading up into the main body of the hotel.  
_

"_Stay down," he said.  
_

_And then everything went black.  
_

"Cordy?"

She awoke with a start and found Angel bent over her, his hands placed firmly on her shoulders. She gasped and pulled back, away from him, casting frantic looks around for a way of escape.

At the hurt and confused look on his face, she snapped out of her panic. It was only a dream. A horrible nightmare. She was safe. The man in front of her was Angel and she had been sleeping on his bed, not knocked unconscious in a cage in the basement.

Relief flooded through her, mingling with the residual fear. She leaned forwards and fell into his arms, soaking up the safety that she felt there.

Angel clutched her tightly to him, his hand gently stroking her hair. "Shh, it's okay, Cordy."

When she had calmed down, he released her, leaning back and carefully examining her face. She looked troubled, more so than he'd seen her in a long time.

"Are you okay?" he asked. "You were talking, yelling in your sleep."

"Just a bad dream," she said.

It was only a dream. She told herself that again and again.

So why then couldn't she quite shake the feeling that it had seemed more like a memory?


	5. Chapter Four

**Disclaimer: Angel the Series and the characters of the show belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt and Mutant Enemy, not me. I'm just borrowing them but will put them back in the toybox afterwards, relatively unscathed... This story is for entertainment purposes only and is not for profit.**

**Spoilers: I forgot to mention this in the last chapter - although the origin of this story is mid-season 2, and from the point of "Reunion" (series 2, episode 10) onwards, it has become AU, there are still spoilers for things that happened in season 3 and 4 (and eventually 5).**

**Author's Note: I'm so happy to be back writing this story! The words have been flowing quickly these past few days, so expect pretty regular updates! Reviews are gratefully received!**

* * *

**Chapter Four**

Kathy stared at the ancient scroll, understanding very little. The small sections of text in Latin were no problem, but demonic languages had never been her strong suit. She continuously glanced back at the notebook lying beside the scroll, examining the tiny, precise writing of Wesley's notes. He was nothing if not thorough, even going so far as to note down passages from the original text with detailed translations below. It was invaluable information for Kathy as she tried to discern whether or not anything had changed.

Of course, there was one person who could tell her for sure. He was pouring over the book she had handed him earlier, learning everything he could about the Kalderash.

"Wes?"

At the sound of her voice, the former watcher looked up, pushing his glasses further up his nose. "Yes, Kathy?"

"Can you take a look at this for me?"

He made his way to the desk she was sitting at and glanced down at the scroll. "Anything you're looking for, in particular?"

She chose her words carefully. "Would you be able to tell if something in the scroll had changed? Just by looking at it?"

If he was puzzled by her question, he didn't show it. Instead he nodded. "I should say so. I can't tell you how many days – weeks, even, that I have spent studying the scroll. I'd fancy myself a bit of an expert at this stage."

"I was hoping you'd say that," she said. "Anything look amiss now?"

He leaned forward and studied the manuscript carefully, occasionally referring to his own notes, as Kathy had. She could tell that he was paying particular attention to the passage specifically about Angel.

After several minutes, he seemed satisfied. "I can't see anything different in the text. Why would you think something had changed?"

_Of course he would ask_, Kathy thought. She hated the cat and mouse game she had to play with the truth these days, but it couldn't be helped. Until she had more answers, it was better for everyone if she just kept certain things to herself. But that wouldn't be enough to satisfy the curious man at her side.

"I'm not really sure at the moment, Wes," she said, truthfully. "I'm just a little worried, I suppose, with what's been happening with the Kalderash, Cordelia's visions and everything else. I don't know, call me paranoid, but prophecies are tricky things and I don't want anyone messing with this one."

Somehow, that seemed to placate him. "Yes, I know what you mean. It's best to be prepared for what's to come. Trouble is, we still don't know what that is."

He was right. She had part of the answers she needed, but not in its entirety. There was another prophecy; one that she now needed to be certain _had_ changed. Unfortunately, it wasn't currently in their possession. Even more unfortunate was the information she had dug up earlier regarding it. The prophecy had recently changed hands. Hands that would not easily let go of it.

"How are things going at your end?" she asked. "Any luck?"

"I'm not entirely sure that luck is the right word for it," he said. "I've been looking at the information you gave me on the gypsy blood vengeance rituals, but it doesn't quite match up with what Cordelia's been experiencing. The vengeance ritual causes the victim to enter a nightmare state in which the worst possible visions are visited upon them. Nowhere in any of the texts is there a case of a victim experiencing visions and nightmares sporadically, as Cordy has been, and certainly not without the ritual having taken place."

"So you don't think it's the Kalderash that are doing it?" Kathy asked. "The visions are from the Powers?"

"Now, I didn't say that," he said. "I have found references to several species of demon, as well as a few notable dark wizards, who have used dreams to punish or weaken the enemies. And the fact that Cordelia is a seer and has already had her mind opened by dark magic before, when Vocah cursed her, could perhaps make her more susceptible to such magics."

"And who has the resources and the motivation to work magic like this?" Kathy asked, not really needing an answer. She got one anyway.

"Perhaps the very people who turned the visions against Cordelia last time."

* * *

"It was so real," Cordelia said.

She was sitting up in the bed, while Angel sat on a chair beside her, holding her hand. She wasn't quite sure when he had taken hold of it, but she was grateful. It made her feel stronger somehow.

"Kathy said you've been dreaming about the Kalderash," Angel said.

"Sometimes, yeah. But other times, I dream about other stuff. Us, mainly. You, me, Wesley, Gunn. A baby… It's all… muddled up and confusing. But, at the same time, it's really vivid. More like…" She hesitated. "More like memories, really. Except none of it has happened."

"Do you think maybe it's the future?" he asked.

She shrugged. "I don't know. Maybe. But if it is, what is it all supposed to mean? What are the Powers trying to tell me? The visions they usually send me are vague, sure, but they always have one clear purpose. Something we have to stop, someone we have to save and a timeframe to do it in. But this – the timeline seems to be all over the place. As if I'm jumping back and forward months or even years at a time."

She leaned forward, cradling her head in her hands. It ached constantly now, the vision hangovers seeming to have become permanent. And with all the dreams she'd been having, she couldn't remember the last time she got a full night's rest. She looked up at Angel and gave him a brave smile but it did nothing to ease his worry.

"You're going to give yourself frown lines," she said. "Honestly, Angel, you –"

He next words came out as a scream as another vision assaulted her. She felt herself jerk back in the bed, her body ridged with pain as the images crowded into her mind.

_She and Angel lay in his bed, with the baby between them, as she fed him sleepily. It looked like a perfect family moment, except the next moment she was torn away from there, watching sulphurous flames rain down on the city. She was with someone else… a teenager… someone she recognised from a previous vision. He was scared, hurting and she comforted him. _

_Flashes of violence and pain, people in the streets screaming and weeping. Despair was all around her.  
_

_Suddenly she was in the middle of a huge, warehouse-like space and Angel had his hand wrapped around her throat. He was saying something, accusing her of something, but she couldn't make out the words. Blood pounded in her head as he squeezed tighter, making her fight for breath.  
_

_More flashes – a dagger made of bone; the sun covered by some mysterious darkness, blocking out its light; blood, so much blood…  
_

_She screamed and then all she could see was a bright light, blinding her.  
_

She was screaming, screaming, as the pain and the fear washed over her. Even once the vision ended, the pain would not cease. She felt rise in her throat bile as she recalled how Angel stood, choking her. Surely this was not the future. It couldn't be. Why would Angel, _her Angel_, want to hurt her? Unless...

No. She had gotten no sense that he was Angelus in this latest vision. He felt distinctly Angel-like. Instead, Cordelia had gotten the impression that it was she, and not Angel, that was evil in this latest vision. And that confused her, as much as it scared her. What was going on?

It was only then that she realised that Angel was holding her again. She buried her head into his chest, tears running freely down her face. She was tired. Too tired to continue putting on a brave face for him.

"It hurts," she said. "All the time, now. I don't understand. Why are the Powers doing this to me? What are they trying to tell me?"

"We don't believe that the Powers are sending the visions," Wesley said, standing in the doorway. "Kathy and I have been researching, and there are other beings, both demonic and magical, who have the Power to send you these dreams and visions."

Angel got his meaning and growled. "Wolfram and Hart."

"That's our best guess. But we don't know for sure."

Angel looked at Cordelia again before getting to his feet, his eyes steely with anger. "Why don't I go ask them."


	6. Chapter Five

**Disclaimer: Angel the Series and its characters belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt and Mutant Enemy - not me. They're used here for entertainment purposes only and not for profit. **

**Spoilers: For events that happened in Seasons 3-5 of AtS (specifically episode such as "Offspring" (s3ep7), "Habeas Corpses" (s4ep8), "Calvary" (s4ep12) and (in a very vague way) "Not Fade Away" (s5ep22)**

**Author's Note: A lot of Kathy stuff in this chapter but don't worry, lots more Angel Cordy goodness to come soon!**

* * *

**Chapter Five**

It was a slow day at Angel Investigations. The foyer of the Hyperion was silent, save for the soft drip of the coffee machine and the occasional rustle whenever Cordelia turned a page of her magazine.

Angel liked silence. It gave him ample opportunity to think, which the people in his life often misconstrued as brooding. Not that he hadn't done his fair share of brooding, on occasion, but he resented the implication that he did nothing but.

And right now he was thinking – well more wondering, really – how he'd gotten to the point where he took orders from not one, but two women. They had shouted down his plan to storm into Wolfram and Hart and, instead, come up with a plan of their own that he really, really didn't like.

"Well? What do you think?"

Kathy spun around for effect, showing off the stunning Donna Karan business suit. Her dark hair had been swept up and pinned into a French roll. A pair of Dior glasses finished the look, giving her a scholarly air.

Her appearance had a varied effect on the group. Wesley starred at her in awe, his mouth agape. Cordelia surveyed her outfit with admiration, exclaiming over the flattering cut of the suit. Angel, on the other hand, looked troubled.

"I don't like the idea of you going in there," he told her. "Not alone."

"And what's the alternative? The second you cross the threshold, Wolfram and Hart's vampire detectors will go off. Not exactly stealthy."

"Wes could go with you."

"They know what he looks like," she argued. "We wouldn't get beyond the foyer."

Angel wasn't ready to give up. "But…"

Cordelia laid a hand on the vampire's arm. "Angel…"

He frowned at her. "You don't honestly think this is a good plan."

She shook her head. "No. I can't say I'm loving the plan. But I think it's the best one we've got. Kathy's right. Neither you or Wesley can go in there."

Kathy smiled reassuringly at her brother. "Don't worry. I can look after myself, remember?"

* * *

Kathy walked through the foyer with confidence she did not feel. Every nerve in her body screamed that she shouldn't be there, but she kept going. She had no choice - not if she wanted to get Cordelia the help she desperately needed, and certainly not if she wanted to keep Angel from charging headlong into a situation that would probably get him killed. But her main reason for going was one that she couldn't share with the group, because she didn't yet have the most of the answers to questions they'd most certainly ask. And she really needed those answers. So, she swallowed her nerves and kept walking, trying her best to look like she belonged there.

She got by the front desk without the receptionist giving her a second glance, her attention wrapped up with the client that stood before her.

"Congratulations on your case," the receptionist was saying. "So, how would you like to settle your bill, Mr Suston? Cash? Credit card? Your first born child? Or your immortal soul?"

Kathy didn't wait around to hear what his answer would be.

Standing beside a well-dressed lawyer, she waited for the elevator doors to open. The lawyer nodded to her with a small, professional smile, and graciously allowed her to go first.

"_Out of the frying pan…" _Kathy thought.

She had a pretty good idea of where Lilah Morgan's office was located from Angel's description and so she made a bee-line for it, hoping against hope that she wouldn't run into security along the way. She got lucky. The only people she passed in the corridors were lawyers, who ignored her completely, too caught up in the briefs they were studying to pay attention to her.

She found Lilah in her office, head buried in a file. The lawyer didn't notice her until Kathy closed the door. Even then, she didn't seem particularly surprised to find the witch in her office. She merely looked smug.

"I was wondering how long it would take you to come waltzing in here, looking for answers," she said. "I guess it runs in the family."

Kathy got straight to the point. "Do you have anything to have anything to do with the visions and dreams Cordelia's been having?"

"I was given to understand that the visions came from the Powers," Lilah said. "Maybe you should go talk to them."

"Well I'm talking to you," Kathy said. "Was that a 'yes' or a 'no'?"

"Ooh, aren't you all big with the menace?" Lilah said, sarcasm dripping from her voice. "Trying to be like your big brother? Trust me, he doesn't intimidate me and he has fangs."

The lawyer reached for her coffee mug, but it slid away from her hand and across the room, hitting the wall. It exploded into tiny pieces, the dark brown liquid inside splashing everywhere.

"I have some fangs of my own," Kathy said. She paused, waiting for an answer.

Lilah gave the witch her best 'I don't give a damn' look and shrugged. "No, since you ask. We don't have anything to do with the visions." Lilah grinned. "Not that we don't enjoy anything that sends our 'hero' into a tail spin. If you find out who's behind it, be sure to let me know. I'd love to send them a fruit basket. Now, if you don't mind, I have a lot of work to do."

Kathy didn't move. "That wasn't the main reason I came," she said.

"You don't say. I thought the whole 'vision' excuse was kind of weak. What do you want now? A date?"

"As much as it pains me to say this, I need your help," Kathy said. "Specifically, I need information that you possess."

Lilah laughed. "I wondered when you'd cut to the chase. World's all different and you don't have a single clue of what's to come, do you?"

When Kathy remained silent, she continued. "My, my. It's tough being a white hat, isn't it? Always trying to do the right thing, with all that pesky doubt getting in the way. You told yourself that you were doing the right thing. But now you're not so sure, are you?"

"I don't have time for your games, Lilah. Now, I know how you like to pay your debts. The way I see it, I did you a favor by changing everything."

Lilah cocked an eyebrow in disbelief. "By making Angel suffer less? Maybe you didn't get the memo, but two words: sworn enemies."

Kathy laughed. "You think my coming here only changed _his_ destiny? Can you really work for the Wolf, Ram and Hart and be so naïve? Big picture, Lilah. Everything got changed. Right down to your death and the destruction of the entire LA branch of Wolfram and Hart." She paused for effect. "Twice."

Kathy derived satisfaction from the brief look of shock which registered on the lawyer's face, before her game face slipped back up. The Powers hadn't told her much about the events she had changed, but she was grateful for the information they'd given her about Wolfram and Hart. Given Lilah's reaction, it would be invaluable.

"Didn't the partners tell you that part? Hmm, interesting. Well, have your people read me if you like; if you don't believe me."

Lilah sat back in her chair for a moment, coldly appraising the young Irish woman before her. "I believe you. You're too much of a goodie two shoes to lie that well. What do you want?"

Kathy tried not to look smug. "Access. To the Nyazian scroll."

"You don't want much, do you?" Lilah replied sarcastically.

"Just my money's worth," Kathy replied with a smile.

"The partners won't let you just walk out of here with that scroll," Lilah said.

"Well then, let me look at it here."

Lilah hesitated and then shrugged. As Kathy had suspected, the lawyer hated the idea of being in her debt much more than the idea of giving her a little bit of information.

She waited as Lilah picked up the phone and made a call. "This is Lilah Morgan. Go to the vault and bring me the scroll we recently procured."

* * *

Cordelia had been quiet since Kathy had left the hotel. She sat at her desk, having resisted Angel's suggestion of resting upstairs, and was leafing through magazines, not talking to anyone.

Angel tried to work, tried to give her some space and wait for her to speak first. But in the end, ironically, he couldn't take the silence any more.

"Can I get you anything?" he asked his seer.

She shook her head wearily. "If I take any more painkillers and you'll need to bring me to hospital and get my stomach pumped," she said.

"How about some tea?"

"Angel-"

"I know. I'm sorry. I just…" He moved to sit on the edge of her desk. "I hate seeing you like this. Especially when there's nothing I can do for you."

She sighed. "I know. And I appreciate it. I just… I just don't know what to do. And it's weird, but… as awful, not to mention painful, as parts of these visions have been, the part that I can't stop thinking about is the baby. I have no idea who he is, but I feel connected to him. And every time I close my eyes…"

"We're going to figure this out, Cordy," he said. "I promise."

She gave him a small, brave smile. "Maybe I will lie down. For a little while."

She rose from her desk, patting his shoulder as she moved passed him. A sudden flash of pain stopped her in her tracks. Angel immediately grabbed her, preventing her from falling as yet another vision hit her.

_Wolfram and Hart. Kathy. A gun. Lindsey McDonald. _

"Kathy might need your help after all," she told him when the vision subsided.

* * *

It wasn't long before the scroll was laid out before her on the desk. She stared at it, trying to make sense of the archaic language. Not for the first time, she wished that she'd brought Wesley along with her.

"Have your people translated it yet?" she asked.

"Some of it," Lilah said. "And, anticipating your next question, no. The text doesn't seem to make any mention of a Tro-Clon. That was what you were sent here to stop, right?"

Kathy didn't like how much Lilah seemed to know, but said nothing. It was just a fact of life – the bad guys would always seem to know more because the good guys were notorious bad at sharing information.

"I think that's about all I can tell you," Lilah said. "Consider us even. You should be going now."

"No, why doesn't she stay a while?" a voice behind them said.

Kathy turned to find Lindsey McDonald in the doorway, a gun pointed straight at her.

"Consorting with the enemy, Lilah?" he asked.

"No, that's what you're best at, Lindsey," she replied.

"So, you're the reason the Partners' plan didn't work," he said, looking at Kathy.

"What's wrong, Lindsey? Missing your girlfriend?" Kathy asked. "I heard a rumor that the Partners have a 'stake on sight' order for both her and Drusilla, since they failed to turn Angel. Now that the Tro-Clon has been prevented, Darla's not really of much use to them, is she?"

"Don't worry. We have other ways of turning Angel dark," the Texan said with a smirk. "Like killing his little sister. That'll at least make him a little tetchy, don't you think?"

He cocked the gun as the window beside them smashed open. Angel swung through the gaping maw of glass. Taking advantage of the distraction, Kathy sent the gun flying out of Lindsey's hand with her powers.

"Sorry, was this a private meeting?" the vampire asked.

"Angel. Nice of you to drop in. We were just discussing destiny and how your little sister here was nice enough to change yours for you."

Angel said nothing and Lindsey could tell that he was confused. The lawyer feigned a look of surprise. "You mean she didn't tell you? And here was me thinking that only the bad guys kept secrets." He glanced at the broken glass lying everywhere. "You're going to pay for that window, by the way."

"Consider me not killing you for pulling a gun on my sister payment in full," Angel said, punching him. Lindsey fell to the floor, unconscious.

Lilah was trying to gather up the scroll, but Kathy backhanded her, taking the ancient prophecy for herself.

"_Now_ we're even," Kathy said.

"What did he mean?" Angel asked her.

"I can explain – " she said as the alarm began to ring. "Later. Right now, we need to get out of here."

They ran for it as security thundered down the hallway after them.


	7. Chapter Six

**Disclaimer: Angel the Series and it's characters don't belong to me - they're the rightful property of Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and the WB. No infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.**

**Spoilers: For season 3-5. The conduit are borrowed from the episode "Birthday" (s3ep11). Brief mentions of events from "You're Welcome" (s5ep12), "Not Fade Away" (s5ep22), "Inside Out" (s4ep17), "Calvary" (s4ep12) and "Shiny Happy People" (s4ep18)**

**Author's Note: Hope you guys are enjoying where the story is going. Thanks to everyone who's reviewed so far! **

* * *

**Chapter Six**

When Angel returned to the Hyperion, he found Cordelia alone in the lobby.

"Where's Wes?" Angel asked. "I thought he was looking after you."

"And _I_ thought I was an adult," Cordelia said. "I'm a big girl, Angel. Been known to spend whole minutes by myself at a time. Hours even."

He may have been angry that she'd been left alone, but she was sure that she detected a glimmer of a smirk appear in the corner of his mouth.

"Anyway, Wes went to meet Gunn at Caritas. He's checking in with a source to see if he can get a bead on where the Kalderash are basing themselves in LA. What's that?" Cordelia pointed at the scroll Angel had placed on the counter.

"Another prophecy. Kathy, uh… borrowed it from Wolfram and Hart."

"Where is she, anyway?"

"She said she had an errand to run."

* * *

Kathy stood in the centre of an ancient chamber waiting for the Powers to grant her an audience. She couldn't be sure that they would talk to her at all. They had always dealt with her on a need to know basis and, as far as they seemed to be concerned, she didn't need to know much. But this time, Kathy begged to differ.

The torches in the chamber burst into life, their flames casting eerie shadows all around her. No one appeared, but Kathy knew enough about the conduit to know what to expect. Disembodied voices began whispering around her.

"_What does the witch want?"_

"_She seeks answers to questions she has not yet learned to ask."_

"_Send her away. Send her away."_

"I do need answers," Kathy said. "Cordelia is suffering from the visions. The Kalderash are seeking to further their revenge. I need to know how this will affect the champion's destiny."

"_The destiny has been written."_

"_But it can be changed."_

"_The humans are careless."_

"_Send her away."_

"No! You need to tell me what I've changed by coming here," Kathy said. "I need to know what happened – what _will_ happen. I can't help the champion if I'm kept in the dark."

"_You wish to burden yourself with the knowledge of what was not meant to be?"_

"_You wish to suffer as the Seer suffers?"_

"Cordelia? What's happening to her?" Kathy asked.

"_She is being shown what was not meant to be known."_

"_They wish to punish the champion."_

"_They wish to make him suffer through her suffering."_

Things began to fall into place for Kathy. "Cordelia's being shown what happened before? Before you sent me to them?"

"_The witch begins to understand."_

"_Perhaps there is still hope."_

"I need to know," Kathy said. "I need to see what she has been shown."

"_As you wish."_

Image after image flashed into her mind as the Powers showed her everything. Everything that had happened before, which they had written over when they asked Kathy to contact her brother.

The assault of images had barely begun and already Kathy knew that she had made a terrible mistake. She sank down under the weight of her new-found knowledge. All the things that she thought she had wanted to know. Now, she realised too late, she really didn't. Knowing just made everything harder.

Yes, she had made a terrible mistake.

Huddled on the floor, she wiped tears she hadn't noticed falling from her cheeks. One overwhelming thought rang clearly in her mind.

Angel would surely hate her when he found out what she'd done.

Not that it was deliberate. Of course not. She had returned to help. Returned at the bidding of the Powers to save Angel from himself, to steer him back onto his true path. As a result he had gained a new alley. Regained his sister.

But he had unknowingly lost so much more.

"Please, she whispered to the unseen beings around her. "In changing things, have I made things better or worse?"

The Powers must have taken pity on her. But it was a strange kind of pity. More images – pain, destruction, death. The lives of everyone Angel cared about in tatters.

Then one final set of images flashed in her mind. _A comatose Cordelia. Angel receiving a phone call. His heart breaking. A signature in blood officially ending his destiny._

The sorrow Kathy felt was outweighed by her relief at the knowledge that these things would not now happen. And it confirmed something that she had long suspected.

Angel's destiny lay in the hands of his seer.

"Thank you," she whispered.

All was not yet lost.

* * *

_Screaming. Someone was screaming with fear and with pain. A girl was being held down. _

_Symbols flashed by - archaic and mystical in appearance. A woman's face. Beautiful. Unfamiliar, and yet… Then her face changed and became horrific - decayed and maggot infested._

_A young man - no more than a teenager, really - held a dagger to the girl's throat. A voice told him to do it. To kill the girl. Cordelia recognised the boy as the same one who kept appearing in her dreams and the voice as her own._

_She found herself running through the Hyperion, terrified. Someone was following her. She kept looking behind her in fear. _

_Suddenly, her body collided with something solid and she turned to find Angel, holding her by the arms, preventing her from falling. But it wasn't relief she felt._

_It was terror._

_He wore his vampire visage. When he grinned, she knew it wasn't Angel. _

_Angelus._

_Then she was on the floor in an unfamiliar room, crying out with inexplicable pain. She looked up and saw Angel standing above her. His sword was drawn and he readied to strike._

"_I'm so sorry," he said._

_She screamed._

When the vision ended, Cordelia felt physically sick. In her disorientation, she thought she was standing up at first, before she realized that someone was supporting her weight.

She was in Angel's arms.

Unable to stop herself, she flinched. Ignoring the dizziness she felt, she pulled away from him and sat down at her desk. It was only then she realized that she was shivering.

Angel crouched down beside her, trying to get her to meet his eyes. But she couldn't look at him - not with the vision still so clear in her mind.

_Once again, it had all been too vivid. _

A sob escaped her throat before she could stop it.

"Easy, Cordy. What happened? What did you see?"

She shook her head, unwilling to tell him. Unwilling to relive it.

Before he could ask her again, she felt the bile rising in throat. She fled to the bathroom and only made it there time before she vomited.

* * *

"Don't tell me not to worry!" Angel told his sister, angrily pacing backwards and forwards across his office.

Cordelia had been in the bathroom for almost half an hour and told everyone who knocked on the door to leave her alone.

It was all Angel could do not to rip the door off its hinges.

"Okay, I won't," Kathy said. "But you need to calm the hell down."

He shot her an angry look and continued pacing.

"Great. Because this is exactly what Cordelia needs," she said. "You freaking out on top of everything else. Way to be a champion in a crisis."

Her reasonable words finally seemed to penetrate, and he slumped into his chair.

"I just - I feel so helpless. When something hurts the people I care about, I want to be able to pummel it. But the visions - I - I honestly don't know what to do."

Kathy knew exactly how he felt. She had returned from the Powers with a great deal of information, but she didn't yet know what to do with it, or how it would help Cordelia.

"Maybe we should call Wesley while he's still at Caritas," Angel said. "Get him to bring Lorne back with him."

"I don't need to be read." Cordelia's voice startled them. She stood, half propped up by the door frame, looking as pale and sick as Angel had ever seen her. He got up and helped her into a chair. This time, she didn't resist him.

"They're getting worse, Cordy," he told her. "Maybe Lorne can…"

"I don't want him reading me Angel! I'm fine. It was just your run of the mill vision. It just left me a bit nauseous, that's all."

"Since when does a 'run of the mill' vision make you lock yourself in the bathroom for thirty minutes?" Angel wanted to know. "What did you see?"

"Nothing," she replied, a little too quickly.

Angel wasn't buying it. "Cordelia…"

"Angel." Kathy put her hand on her brother's arm and pulled him away. "Give us a couple of minutes, would you? Maybe go into the kitchen and make Cordy some tea? I've left some herbs in there that should help with the pain and the nausea."

Angel looked ready to argue, but then gave it up. Experience was beginning to teach him that with Cordelia, the harder he pushed, the less progress he'd make. Without another word, he left for the kitchen, leaving the seer alone with the witch.

"So what exactly don't you want Angel to know?"

Cordy said nothing, but she didn't need to. Kathy could see her aura well enough, and knew that Cordelia was carrying a heavy burden.

"Cordy –"

"Angelus," Cordelia said. "I keep having visions of Angelus. Not just him, though. So many different things and I don't know how to make sense of it all. I've seen myself do things… things I couldn't possibly ever do. And Angel, he… And there's a baby…"

Kathy shut her eyes as everything the Powers had shown her flashed through her mind. Cordy had been shown many of the same images she had. But the visions weren't to help her or to warn her. They were a way to make her suffer, in the hopes that her pain would cause Angel further suffering. And it was time that it ended.

It was time Kathy told them all the truth.

"You don't need to worry about these visions coming true, Cordy," she said. "Let's wait for Wes and Gunn to get back. Then I'll explain – everything that I can."


	8. Chapter Seven

**Disclaimer: Angel the Series and the characters in this story don't belong to me. They're the creation and rightful property of Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and the WB. No infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.**

**Spoliers: Mentions of events in seasons 2, 3 and 4, particularly the episodes "Epiphany" (s2ep16) and "Offspring" (s3ep7).**

**Author's Note: This chapter's a wee bit exposition-heavy, but the next chapter will have a nice chewy Angel Cordy centre, I promise. As ever, reviews make me giddy, so please let me know what you think.**

* * *

**Chapter Seven**

Kathy took a deep breath and began. "My coming here. It… changed things."

They were all sitting in the lobby of the hotel, Wesley and Gunn having just returned from Caritas with a possible address for the gypsies they were looking for.

"Well yeah ," Cordelia said. "You stopped Angel going evil and killing us all."

Kathy shook her head. "If I hadn't come here, that wouldn't have happened anyway. Angel would have gotten darker, it's true. He would have gone after Darla, Drusilla and Wolfram and Hart a few more times. Then he would have had an… epiphany."

Cordelia snorted. "An epiphany?"

"Yeah. You reacted in a similar way when he told you about it."

Now it was Angel's turn to interrupt. "When I told her about it? Kathy, it never happened."

"But it did – uh, I mean it did in an alternative time line. One when I didn't show up, these things were destined to happen."

"Alternate time lines?" Gunn said. "This is already making the kind of sense that don't."

Wesley, however, took the information in his stride. "There is a reasonable amount of writing on the subject," he said. "It stands to reason, really. If every choice we make sends our lives in one direction, an alternative decision would have an alternate effect. Causality."

"Okay, so what else was going to happen in this alternate time line?" Angel asked.

"A lot," Kathy said. "Some of which , to be honest, I'd really rather not tell you. I don't know how it would help. It certainly won't achieve anything."

"Cordys's been having these visions and dreams for a reason, Kathy," Angel said. "Anything you know that might explain all this is important."

"The visions are… well, there a new improved way to make you suffer, Angel," she said. "They're attacking you through Cordelia."

"Who?"

"I'm fairly sure that it's the Kalderash," she said. "In changing things, I may have inadvertently pissed them off. By making your life a little less painful and by bringing you closer to your destiny. Those aren't things they'd exactly thank me for."

The witch turned to Cordelia. "The visions and dreams you've been having. The things you've seen yourself and Angel do? You don't have to worry about them happening now. They were all part of that alternate time line that's now been prevented."

"That doesn't answer my question, Kathy," Angel said. "Lindsey said something about you changing my destiny. What did he mean? What would have happened?"

Kathy said nothing, avoiding her brother's eyes, trying to think of something she could tell them that would satisfy them without causing too much drama. Cordelia was having none of it. She leaned forward and grabbed the witch's hand.

"There's only one thing that I want to know. That I _have_ to know. Kathy, who was the baby? In my visions, he keeps appearing again and again. I know I have a connection to him. I can feel it. You have to tell me – who is he?"

Kathy lowered her head further, unable to meet the Seer's eyes. This was the one thing she hoped never to have to explain.

"Kathy?" Cordelia's voice was pleading, something rarely heard. "Was he mine?"

When it came, Kathy's answer was barely above a whisper. "No."

"Who's then?"

Finally, Kathy raised her gaze and met her brother's eyes. It took a moment for her meaning to hit him.

"Mine?" he asked. "That's impossible."

"We live in a world of vampires, demons and witches. Trust me, more impossible things than this have happened."

"Vampires can't have children."

Now that she had begun, Kathy knew she'd have to continue with the truth until it was all know. There was no point stopping now. "Born out of darkness to bring darkness. He was the real reason the Senior Partners brought Darla back."

"Darla?" Cordelia asked. "What does she…" The penny dropped and she glared at Angel, fury and betrayal colouring her face. "You slept with her!"

"No! I didn't!"

"Not in this reality," Kathy explained. "But in the other time line, you would have. In a perfect moment of despair. She would have returned nine months later, pregnant with your child. In the end, she staked herself so that he might be born."

The group was stunned into silence. The implications were huge. Eventually, all eyes landed on Angel, waiting to see how he would react.

For his part, Angel simply stood up and left the room.

* * *

Kathy closed her eyes and leaned her forehead against the cold glass of the window, thankful for a few minutes of peace and solitude. The truth was exhausting, none more so than when it was unwillingly told. She didn't know where they would go from here and she was terrified that Angel would never be able to forgive her for what she had done.

"It will be worth it, in the end," she said, repeating the words softly like a mantra. It had to be worth it.

"How could you not tell him sooner?"

Kathy sighed. Of course, Cordelia would follow her – how could she have thought otherwise?

"Cordy –"

"No! He should have had a choice!"

Kathy turned to face the irate Seer. "How could I have given him a choice, when the very act of me showing up and offering him a choice would have changed the time line anyway, making the choice invalid."

Cordelia glared. "Do you even understand what you just said?"

"Not really. This is all really complicated. I'm still trying to get everything straight in my head, and the Powers still haven't told me everything. But what I do know is that the _second_ the Powers told me to approach Angel, everything changed. I couldn't help that."

"You don't even sound like you're sorry."

Kathy hesitated, weighing her feelings carefully. "I'm not. I'm sorry that Angel found out. I'm sorry that it's causing you all pain right now. But I can't be sorry for what happened. It's life, you know? Our lives change in big and small ways every day, depending on the choices we make. It's nothing new."

"Difference being, he didn't make the choice. You did."

"No, the Powers did. They tried to steer him back on course before, but nothing worked. The child was never meant to be born. He was part of the Senior Partner's plan, not the Powers'. So they sent me in to fix things. God, Cordy. It sounds like you wish he'd slept with Darla!"

"Of course not! But…" Cordelia's voice started to crack, her true emotions peeking out from behind her anger. "He would have had a son, Kathy. Angel… he'll never get the chance to have that – a family of his own. That was his one… now it's gone."

"He's a vampire, Cordelia. They aren't supposed to have children – and for good reason. This child, had he been born, would have ruined everything. He would have caused more pain, more destruction than you can possibly imagine. You have no idea what you all would have lost had he existed. One day, Angel will thank me."

"Oh you think so?" Cordelia said.** "**Because looking at you right now? I see someone who's terrified that she's lost her brother for good because of this. I see someone who isn't sure what she's done is the right thing, who's questioning everything the Powers have told her."

Kathy hated how perceptive Cordelia could be. "We have to question everything. It's what separates us from the black hats. But I also have to believe that this was for the best. I have to trust that it will be worth it."

Cordelia shook her head sadly and walked towards the door. "I hope you're right."


	9. Chapter Eight

**Disclaimer: You know the drill by now. Characters aren't mine, they belong to Whedon, Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and WB. No infringement intended. For entertainment purposes only.**

**Spoilers: If you've seen Season Three, you'll know what's going on. References to events in "Dad" (s3ep10), "Provider" (s3ep12) etc.**

**Author's Note: Remember what I promised in the last chapter? Well... enjoy! **

**Also, reviews are made of awesome, as you will be if you leave me a brief message to let me know how you're enjoying the story. Thanks.**

* * *

**Chapter Eight**

Cordelia stood outside the door, afraid to go inside. It was distinctly unCordelia-like behaviour, but this was a situation like none other she had ever faced. She couldn't begin to imagine what Angel was going through.

No – the problem was, she could imagine it all too well, because she was going through it too, thanks to her all too vivid visions. She understood what he had lost – lost without even knowing that he had had it. Her own heart was aching with that loss. Her visions had shown her the deep connection she shared with the child, to the point that she had come to the conclusion that he had been her own son. And, while biologically she may not have been his mother, she knew that she had been in every other way that counted.

Cordelia had never really thought seriously about becoming a mother. It was something that she assumed would happen one day, in the far distant future. But now, faced with the knowledge that she might have helped raise Angel's son, she found herself longing for that little boy. She felt bereft, possibly even as bereft as Angel himself was feeling.

Finally, she took a deep breath and softly tapped on the door. Without waiting for him to answer, she went inside, peering around the gloom until she saw his figure, slumped in an armchair at the far side of the room.

"Hey," she said.

"I was starting to think you'd never come in."

She suppressed a wry smile. Of course, he had known she was there all along. "How are you doing?"

He shrugged. Taking that as a bad sign, she crossed the room and sat on the edge of the bed, opposite his chair.

"Is this going to be one of those times when I do all the talking and you shut down and say nothing?"

"Cordy…" His voice carried a hint of a warning, which she of course chose to ignore.

"Angel, I know all this has come as a shock and I know what you must be going through, but –"

"No you don't, Cordelia." His anger whipped up without warning into a barely controlled squall. "How could you know? He would have been my son! My only chance to have a family! And now all that will never happen! How could you possibly know what it's like to have lost – ?"

"Because he was mine too!" Her voice rose above his, fury dancing in her eyes. "I may not have given birth to him, but I was his mother! I would have helped raise him! I felt it in my visions. I didn't understand before, but I do now. Every time I close my eyes, I see myself holding him, feeding him. I've lost him too! I've lost him…"

Her last words were lost in the sobs that now escaped her throat. The last of her composure gone, Cordelia broke down as the grief took over.

Forgetting his own pain, his own anger, Angel leaned forward and gathered her into his arms. She curled into him, her head resting on his chest, tucked underneath his chin.

"Shh," he said, rocking her gently. "Everything's going to be alright."

* * *

Downstairs Gunn was absentmindedly polishing his axe while Wesley studied the Nyazian scroll Kathy had procured from Wolfram and Hart. Neither man knew quite what to do, given the developments of the evening. Neither knew what to say and so said nothing, going about their tasks in heavy silence.

The silence was broken by Kathy storming through the lobby, a woman on a mission.

"Kathy? Where are you off to?" Wesley asked.

She grabbed the piece of paper Wesley had obtained from his snitch earlier on her way out the door.

"To get some answers."

* * *

They had been sitting like this for a long time, clinging to each other, each drawing comfort from the other. The longer Angel held her, the more aware he became of her heartbeat. Earlier it had been beating quickly out of anger. Then it had settled into an almost steady pace. Now, however, it was quickening again, into a rhythm Angel thought he recognised, but told himself was impossible.

Cordelia was trying desperately to get her emotions back under control. Her anger had dissipated and her grief was ebbing slightly but, the longer Angel held her, the harder it was becoming for her to ignore other emotions that were coming to the fore. This couldn't be happening. She was supposed to be comforting him and all of a sudden, other feelings were taking over. Feelings she should definitely not be having about her best friend.

Finally, Angel drew back to look at her, brushing stray tendrils of hair away from her face. "I'm sorry I yelled at you. I didn't realise –"

"It's okay," she said. "That's the problem with the visions. Aside from the splitting migraines, they sometimes make me feel… too much. And throw in the dreams? It feels like it all really happened –that I'm having memories of something real, instead of… whatever this is."

They looked at each other for another moment, both becoming increasingly aware of their close proximity, but unable to move back to a safer distance.

"So you and I would have raised him?" Angel finally asked, unable to stop himself. "Together?"

"Yeah. Marvel at the weirdness."

"It… it doesn't actually seem that weird."

She smiled. "No. The weird thing is that it really doesn't."

She didn't know what had come over her, but the next thing she knew, she was leaning towards him again, brushing her lips against his in a ghost of a kiss.

Instantly, her mind went into panic mode. _Friends kiss each other all the time_, she told herself. _This was nothing_. She was just comforting him, nothing more.

Angel's eyes opened wide in shock. He seemed ready to say something but stopped himself, afraid that speaking would break the spell. For as much as he wanted to tell himself that Cordelia's kiss had been one of friendship, he had felt something much, much more.

Electricity.

Cordelia felt the butterflies in her stomach, the toe curling current of attraction that the trashy books and magazines she sometimes indulged in all talked about. And something told her that Angel felt it too, because suddenly he was kissing her back. Soft, tender, tentative but most definitely kissing and Cordelia felt all control leave her.

She leaned further into him, deepening the kiss and allowing her lips to part slightly, her tongue flicking out to brush against his. The soft groan that simple action elicited from Angel sent a thrill of both excitement and terror coursing through her.

_Oh god! This is insane, _she thought. _This is actually happening!_


	10. Chapter Nine

**Disclaimer: The characters of Angel the series belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and the WB. No infringement intended. This story is for entertainment purposes only.**

**Spoilers: Mentions of events which occurred on BtVS, season 2 ("Surprise" (2x13), "Innocence" (2x14) and "Passion" (2x17).**

**Author's Note: I know I left a certain scene hanging in the last chapter, so that's where we begin now. Enjoy.**

* * *

**Chapter Nine**

It took several minutes to happen, but the rational part of Cordelia's brain eventually kicked in, reminding her of just what exactly it was that she was doing. Reluctantly, she pulled back, ending the kiss that had been heating up by the second. She looked at the manpire sitting across from her and unconsciously reached up to touch her slightly swollen lips.

"Um… Angel, that was…"

"I'm sorry," he said. "I shouldn't –"

"You shouldn't – ?"

"Well, I mean…" He trailed off, not sure what to say.

"No. If anyone should apologise, it's me," Cordelia said. "I shouldn't have kissed you. I'm sorry."

"You're sorry?" he asked, wincing at how pathetic he sounded.

"Well, I mean…" She was flustered, stammering. God she was turning into him! "Not for the kiss itself. I mean it was… wow."

"It was good," he said, trying not to sound smug.

"It was amazing," she said.

"Amazing?" He smiled.

"But it shouldn't have happened."

His smile faded. "Right. No. It shouldn't."

"I mean, who are we kidding here? This is us," she said.

"Yeah, it is, and –" He stopped abruptly, wondering what she meant. "Us?"

"You know, _us_. You a vampire with a none-to-friendly curse. And me. Shallow, non-superhero Cordy, with her pesky vision headaches. It's not exactly a recipe for perfect bliss." She paused, contemplating. "Which, given the curse, is kind of a good thing."

"Cordelia, you're not shallow," he said. She 'pfft'd' at that. "And as for not being a superhero, what has that got to do with anything?"

"You have a type, Angel. A pretty specific type that involves supernaturally strong women. _Blonde _women."

He sighed. "Cordy –"

"No, you know what? I don't need to hear it, Angel," she said. "I think I've embarrassed myself enough for one evening. I'm just going to go home, crawl into a tub of double fudge mint chip and forget all about… whatever this was."

She got up and moved towards the door, but he was too fast for her. After a blur of movement, she found him blocking her way.

"Cordelia, we've been avoiding this conversation for a while," he said. "Correction. _I've_ been avoiding it. But I can't let you walk out of here thinking that what just happened was one-sided. It wasn't."

"But –"

"And as for whoever you seem to think my _type _is…" He smiled. "Well… I'm looking at her."

She smiled back at him, but he still saw fear in her eyes. "This is so not a good idea," she said.

"Probably not. But… I can't help how I feel. And I've felt this way for a while now. Do you –"

"Oh, yeah," she said. "I'm definitely feeling feelings."

"Oh. Well… good. That's good," he said, suddenly feeling flustered again. "So, uh… what do we…"

She ran her hand down his arm, enjoying both the hard muscles she found there and the tingles down her spine from the contact. She smiled. "Now? I go home. We both get some rest and we'll talk tomorrow."

"But –"

"No buts, mister," she said. "We need to be sensible here. I need a little… time. To get my head around all this. I'll be back in the morning. Okay?"

"Okay," he said, taking a step out of her way.

She smiled and moved towards the door again, then stopped. She turned and lightly touched his face. "See you tomorrow."

"Yeah," he said, leaning down to capture her lips in a soft, almost chaste kiss. "See you tomorrow."

The electricity they had felt earlier came back with a vengeance now, crackling between them. Helpless to it, they leaned into each other, kissing passionately. Her arms snaked around his neck as he pulled her closer, melding their bodies together.

This time, it was Angel that pulled away.

"Cordy," he said against her lips. "You'd… you'd better go home. Before we, uh… forget the 'being sensible' plan."

"Yeah," she said, a little breathless. "Okay." She gave herself a shake. "Okay. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Bye," he said, shutting the door behind her and leaning against it, his body and mind still buzzing from that kiss. His face broke into a wide grin, one that he was sure Cordelia would heartily approve of.

* * *

Kathy found the address easily enough. It wasn't terribly far from the hotel, nestled on the edge of Koreatown, near Seoul International Park. She wondered if the close proximity was deliberate or careless on their part.

She watched the building for a few minutes, long enough to ascertain that someone was home but not long enough to know how many. She didn't have her brother's patience when it came to watching and waiting. So instead, she crossed the street and turned the handle of the door. She wasn't sure if it was good luck or a bad sign that it turned easily.

There was a light on towards the back of the house, so she made her way towards it, finding herself in a small but tidy kitchen. Above the counter-top, many jars filled with herbs, both mystical and otherwise, lined the shelves. In one corner, sitting at a table, was a solitary gypsy woman.

"I wondered when you'd come," the woman said. "The runes said you would."

"Then you know why I'm here," Kathy said.

"You think to second guess our clan. Tell us what is and isn't within our rights."

"Your vengeance has gone on long enough. Angel works for the Powers, now. He is reformed."

"The demon killed my kinswoman, Janna, not three years ago!" the woman said. "He is not _reformed_. He is a vampire. There is no changing that."

"Don't you understand?" she asked, completely amazed at the woman's cold demeanor. "If you had reconstituted Angel's soul without imposing the curse… or if you had just warned the Slayer before it was too late, then Jenny Calendar wouldn't have died."

"Not died. Murdered. Murdered by the same demon who murdered you, Katarina. Murdered your entire family. Or have you forgotten?"

"I forget nothing, old woman," Kathy replied through clenched teeth. "I remember everything that happened - to me and to others. But it is done. It's over. Angel is atoning for his past deeds in the only way he can. He has saved countless innocent lives. He knows that he can never fully make up for what he has done, but at least he is trying. At least he is working towards a better future. Unlike you and your people. You who live in the past, living and breathing injustices and past pains as though they are life's blood."

"Vengeance is what keeps my people alive," the crone replied. "It is a living thing, and it breathes life into us."

Kathy shook her head. "It breathes _death_ into you. You are more worthy of the title 'undead' than Angel ever could be."

The old woman cackled. "This may be true. But it is no matter. We will have vengeance."

"Angel is the champion of the Powers," Kathy said. "He is the only one who can stop the world from falling into darkness at the hands of the Wolf, Ram and Hart. If you continue to stand against Angel, you are siding with them."

"This may be so. But it is the way it must be. The vampire must be destroyed. Along with anything - and anyone - who makes his life bearable."

The old woman's meaning was clear.

"Cordelia is an innocent!"

"She chose her path. She chose to stay with him. If she wishes to be with a demon, to love a demon, she will be tormented as one."

"Tell me what you're doing to her!"

"She is being prepared for her journey into the land of darkness. It is a very long, very painful process. He will watch and he will suffer. It is our right."

"No! You have no rights. Whatever grievance you have with Angelus is paid in full. Angel has given enough suffering to your clan."

"It is already begun and cannot be stopped."

Kathy narrowed her eyes and stepped towards the woman. "I will stop you."

"You will try."

Kathy took a step towards her, feeling the magic tingling in her fingertips. It was all she could do not to unleash her power at the old woman. But already, her eyes were turning black.

"Mark my words, old woman. These people are my family. And I will do anything - anything to protect them. If it means killing you or your entire clan, it's a price I'm more than willing to pay."

The woman looked surprised for a moment, before loathing once again filled her eyes. "At the expense of your own soul?"

"My soul for his?" Kathy replied. "If that's the price, I'll pay it."

"Then you are more like your demon brother than I expected. Do your worst, witch. We are not afraid of death."

The old woman got up from the table and left the room. Kathy looked down at her own hand, surprised to see a fireball forming. She closed her fist and it extinguished.


	11. Chapter Ten

**Disclaimer: See previous chapters.**

**Spoilers: Up to and including season 2.**

* * *

**Chapter Ten**

Kathy wandered around for a full hour before she felt calm enough to return to the hotel. Everything that had happened that day – her trip to the conduit, telling Angel and Cordelia the truth about the baby, her run in with the Gypsy woman – had all combined to leave her feeling unhinged. Unsafe.

She replayed her encounter with the old woman again and again in her mind.

"_If it means killing you or your entire clan, it's a price I'm more than willing to pay."_

It wasn't the fact that she had said the words that frightened her so much. It was the fact that she meant them.

She knew what she was capable of. The magics which she controlled were powerful. She had heard stories of other witches, women and men who had thought themselves to be in control. Thought themselves above the natural order of things. They performed bigger and bigger spells, getting high on the rush. Each and every one of them fell into darkness.

She walked a fine line, just as her brother did, every day. She had the power to help a great number of people. She also had the power to destroy them all. It was not something that an ordinary person should be either burdened or trusted with.

Not for the first time, she questioned if she was really worthy of such power.

She had no time to contemplate such things at length, however. They needed to figure out a way to stop the Kalderash and whatever it was that they were planning. And that meant that she needed to return to the hotel and face Angel.

She dreaded to think what he was going to say to her, but she turned and headed back to the hotel anyway.

* * *

Cordelia parked her car and jumped out, feeling giddy despite her exhaustion and the headache that has yet to vacate her skull. Thoughts of kissing Angel still ran through her mind and she chastised herself for acting like a smitten schoolgirl. But she couldn't help herself.

He had feelings for her. Actual feeling-type feelings.

She tried to think back, to remember when she had first started to having feelings of her own for the dorky manpire. But it was strange. They seemed to have always been there, in one form or another, growing and evolving over time, so that now she couldn't imagine him not being in her life. In her heart.

She was still worried – she would have to be a fool not to be. There were still so many complications to overcome, if that were possible. The curse, for one. Her visions. The mission. His past… loves.

She shook her head. Tomorrow was another day and she would wait until then to start worrying about all the many difficulties she and Angel might face, should they decide to… date?

"_I don't tan, date or sing in public."_

Well, he'd already done one of the three. And now he seemed more than willing to attempt another item on the list. With her, no less.

As she reached into her bag and pulled out the keys to her front door, Cordelia heard a noise behind her. She turned to find an old man, standing on the steps below her.

"Miss Chase?" he said.

"Who are you?" she asked.

"I am Enyos," he said. "We must talk."

* * *

Angel descended the stairs to the lobby shortly after Cordelia's departure. He found Wesley and Gunn still in the office, both in research mode.

"Hey, how is the translation coming?" Angel asked, glancing at the scroll Wesley was studying.

"Slowly," Wesley said. "But I believe we're making some progress. I have Gunn cross-referencing for me now, which is actually a great help."

Angel looked at Gunn, curious. He usually shied away from doing research, preferring the more physical aspects of their job. Gunn merely shrugged.

"Cordy told me I'd better crack a book and help English or she'd kick my ass," he said. "The lady's scary."

"That she is," Angel replied with a smile. "Where's Kathy?"

"Right here," she said from the door.

"Where were you?"

"I was out. Visiting some old friends of yours, actually."

Angel got her meaning all too well. "Alone! What were you thinking?"

"I was thinking that we needed to be sure it was the Kalderash that were behind all this, so we can figure out a way to stop them," she said. "And it is."

She moved cautiously towards Angel, still unsure of where she stood with him. "Look, what happened earlier. I understand if you don't want me around or –"

"Of course I want you around," he said. "But I want to know everything. Not just what you want to tell me. Okay?"

She hesitated for a moment, then nodded. "Okay. But first things first," she said. "They're planning something for Cordelia. Something about a journey into darkness. We need to find out what that is and how to stop it. According to the old woman I spoke to, it has already begun."

"I thought they needed Cordelia to begin the ritual," Wesley said.

"So did I," Kathy said. "I guess we were wrong."

"Gunn, I want you to keep an eye on Cordy's apartment," Angel said. "Make sure no one gets in there. But don't let her see you. No sense in worrying her yet."

"Or making her mad," Gunn said. "On it, boss."

As Gunn made his way out to his truck, Angel turned to Kathy. "Okay, let's talk."

* * *

"You and the vampire will destroy each other, Miss Chase," the old man said. "He was not meant to love. He must suffer. Otherwise the curse is invalid. The scourge that is inside him will break free."

"Angelus," Cordelia whispered. "But there are things we can… avoid. We'll make sure he doesn't get too… happy."

"Every day with you, his heart grows lighter. His burden becomes less. He will start to forget and, when he does, the demon will become unleashed."

Cordelia couldn't accept that. "There must be something…"

The old man looked her straight in the eyes, his own cold and harsh. "You must leave him."

"No!"

"You would put your happiness before the lives of hundreds? Thousands? Do you know how many the demon has killed?" He looked at her in disgust.

"Angel is working to atone for that. He –"

" – Will not succeed. There is no atonement for what he did. Only suffering. Only vengeance."

Cordelia drew herself up to her full height, determined that this man would not intimidate her. "You're wrong."

"Am I? Let me make this simpler for you," he said. "You will leave him by sunrise or we will remove that which we gave over a hundred years ago."

No. He couldn't mean…

"We will take back the soul."


	12. Chapter Eleven

**Disclaimer: I don't own AtS or its characters - they belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and the WB. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. Not for profit, no infringements intended.**

**Spoilers: References to events in seasons 3, 4 and 5. **

**Author's Note: **_Sorry for the delay in getting this chapter up. It's been written for a while, but I've been struggling with later parts of the story and didn't want to post anything new until I had them ironed out. I think we're back on track for now._  
_Lots of exposition here and I didn't want to add to it by having Kathy actually tell the story of what originally happened on the show on the page. Y'all have watched the show and know what happens in seasons 2, 3, 4 and 5, right? If not, what are you doing here? Go watch the series on DVD and then come back. It'll all make much more sense then. _

_PS: I'm kind of surprised I didn't get any reviews for the last chapter to complain about the glaring continuity error that was present - it was actually deliberate, but I'm surprised no one's picked up on it yet. All will be revealed in upcoming chapters..._

* * *

**Chapter Eleven**

"I hope you're sitting comfortably, because this is a long story," Kathy said, glancing from one to the other of her two-man audience. "Then I'll begin…"

Kathy held nothing back, telling them every detail of what the Powers had shown her. Everything that had occurred before, but had then been written over, as though it had never happened. She spared them no detail, keeping her promise to Angel, knowing that he'd rather know the truth and suffer it, than remain in the dark any longer.

When she got to the part in the story when Cordelia died, after having been in a mystical coma for months, she saw Angel stiffen as though in physical pain. She leaned forward and took his hand.

"It was her choice, Angel. She knew everything by then, having been a higher power. She cut a deal with the Powers. To turn back the clock, prevent it all from happening. Get you back onto your true path. But it required a sacrifice. Her life and proof that you were still their champion. She sent you after the Circle of the Black Thorn, which basically amounted to a suicide mission.

"And you stepped up, showed them you still had the mission. So they turned back time. Wrote over everything that had happened and send me in to guide you. But I'm not your true guide. I get that now. She is."

Angel was startled. "Are you saying that Cordy knows all of this already?"

"Oh god no. She hasn't been told anything by the Powers. She only knows what she does because of the visions the Kalderash are feeding her."

"Well that's just great," Angel said, becoming angry. "You gotta love how even our enemies are prepared to share more information with us than the Powers that we're supposed to be working for!"

"The Powers don't tell us everything, it's true," Kathy said. "But I'm starting to realise that it's usually for a good reason. If we knew everything in advance, when would we ever know what was our choice and what wasn't? Take you and Cordy for example…"

"What about me and Cordy?" Angel asked, sounding a little flustered.

Kathy smiled. "You're in love with her, aren't you?"

A little flustered no longer covered it. "How did… What gives… I…"

"I thought so," she said, grinning at Wesley who was watching the exchange with amusement.

Angel wasn't quite as amused. "What does this have to do with –?"

"Would you have wanted to be told that you were destined to be together _before_ you knew how you felt about her? Or would knowing that just have confused you even more? Taken the decision out of your hands?"

Angel couldn't answer her. He was still stuck on the first part she had said. "We were destined…"

Kathy nodded. "It's all there in black and white in the prophecy of Aberjian."

Angel looked sceptical. "Wesley translated the prophecy for me. He didn't say anything about –"

"I didn't think it prudent to tell you at the time, Angel," Wesley said, looking a little sheepish.

"What?"

"Imagine my surprise," the ex-watcher said. "Cordelia jokingly asks is there is anything in the prophecy about her – a torrid romance, I believe were her exact words. The next day, I'm reading a passage detailing the part the Seer plays in the Shanshu."

"Okay, this is all becoming a little… Why is there an ancient prophecy about my love-life?"

"You and Cordelia have been destined to be together from the very beginning, Angel," Kathy said. "Why do you think that – in a city of how many million? – you just _happened_ to run into her at that party? And then she just happened to be the girl you saved from Russell Winters? You thought that was just a coincidence?"

"Cordelia is your soul mate, Angel," Wesley said. "In the truest sense of the term. According to the prophecy your souls, your destinies, are tied together. To the extent that, if one of you goes down the wrong path, you both do."

"Wolfram and Hart threw everything they could at you before, to keep you apart," Kathy said. "They knew enough about the prophecy to recognise that Cordelia was the key. So every time it looked like the two of you were becoming closer, they threw another spanner in the works. Darla, the Groosalugg, Cordelia's ascension… it was all toward their goal of getting you into Wolfram and Hart. They were so sure that would mean they'd be on the winning side in the apocalypse. They just didn't count on one thing."

"And what's that?"

"Not to get all cheesy, but the power of love," Kathy said, wincing a little at the sentimentality of it all. "They didn't count on Cordelia making a deal with the powers. And they really underestimated you and how far you would be willing to go."

Wesley picked up his notes. "The Vampire with a soul and his Seer, once they fulfil their destiny will become human," he read.

"That doesn't make any sense," Angel said. "Cordy's already human."

Kathy nodded. "Yeah, she is. Right now. But I realised something when I went to see the Powers tonight. If she's going to survive the visions long enough to see your destinies fulfilled, she needs… she needs to become part demon."

"That's insane," Angel said.

"Well, maybe. But we have a bigger problem to tackle first," she said. "Somehow, the Kalderash have found out about your connection to Cordelia and the part she plays in your reward. They're planning on taking her away from you no matter what the cost."

"Well, they're not going to succeed," Angel said. "Wes, keep working on that new prophecy. Kathy, you and I are going to find out all we can about this ritual the Kalderash are planning. We're going to stop it."

* * *

Cordelia wiped another tear away as it ran down her cheek. The blue-grey light of dawn was beginning to creep into her room, reminding her that she hadn't slept all night.

_Well, there would be time for sleeping later._

She put the last of her belongings into the suitcase and closed it, the zipper sounding loud and intrusive in the otherwise silent apartment. Packing had been a trial, not least because Phantom Dennis had kept taking things out of her cases and hiding them at first. Then she had yelled at him, tears streaming down her face and he had given in.

She couldn't blame him, really. She was abandoning him. Abandoning everyone she cared about. But she had no choice. Enyos had seen to that.

She set the cream envelope containing the note she had spent an hour writing on her pillow and picked up the suitcase. Glancing at her bedside table, she saw the framed photograph she kept there, the one of her with Angel and Wesley. She hesitated picking it up for a moment, considered leaving it behind. But she couldn't. Instead, she carefully tucked it inside her purse.

Taking a final look around the apartment that she loved, she made her way to the front door where her other case was waiting. This is what her life now amounted to. The contents of two suitcases. And her memories.

"Goodbye Dennis," she whispered.

And then she was gone.


	13. Chapter Twelve

**Disclaimer: AtS and its characters don't belong to me. They're the creation of Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and the WB. No infringement intended, their use here is for entertainment purposes only. The words are my own, however - please don't borrow or steal them. Thanks.**

**Spoilers: None in particular this chapter**

**Author's Note: _I'm cranking up the angst in this chapter. Sorry._**

**_Just a little note about reviews. I know the show's been over for a while and the fandom isn't what it once was, but I'm a little sad at the lack of response I've been getting for this story. I can see from the stats that people are reading, but no one's reviewing. Now, reviews aren't the only reason I write, and I'm certainly not going to stop just because I'm not getting any feedback, but I would love it if a few of you that are reading would just take a second or two to let me know whether or not you like where the story's going. Or, you know, if you hate it. Come on guys, reviews equal a happy writer._**

**_Much love and many thanks to those who have reviewed so far. Hope you're still with me._**

* * *

**Chapter Twelve**

They had stayed up researching all night. A few times, each of them had briefly thought of suggesting to the others that they take a break, get a few hours' sleep. But they all knew that it was not an option. So they kept themselves going with one thought. _Cordelia Chase._

They had already learned a great deal. Wesley had found references to Angel and Cordelia's destinies in the Nyazian prophecy, further confirmation that their souls were indeed linked. And Kathy and Angel had found the gypsy ritual.

"The Journey into the Land of Darkness," Angel read. "This is it."

"What does it involve?" Wesley asked.

"It's a blood vengeance ritual. The victim is fed 'the blood of innocents' and is forced into a dark trance, where they experience all the horrors they've ever committed in their lives. Little by little, it strips them of their soul and they become a 'shade', a soulless creature with no purpose, no path, only pain."

"But surely that would only work on a person who had committed truly evil acts," Wesley said. "What are they planning to torture Cordelia with? The fact that she teased girls in high school for not wearing that season's designer labels?"

"I don't think they're planning on torturing Cordelia with her own past misdeeds," Kathy said, looking at Angel.

He frowned, grimly. "They're going to use mine."

She nodded. "Given the connection you share, I'd say that's likely. And the really worrying thing is, with that connection, you're in danger of losing your soul when Cordelia does."

"But that would bring Angelus!" Wesley said, stunned. "But why on earth… surely they know what he's capable of."

"Of course they do," Kathy said. "But they don't care. It's not about right or wrong, good or evil."

"It's about vengeance," Angel said.

Just then, Gunn came through the doors to the lobby, carrying five steaming cups of coffee and a box of donuts. He smiled. "Morning. Thought y'all could use some caffeine after an all-nighter. I know I could. Where's Cordy?"

"What do you mean, where's Cordy?" Angel asked. "I thought you were watching her."

Gunn looked confused. "I was, man. She came out of the apartment and got in her car. Drove this way. I figured she was coming straight here, so I stopped off and got breakfast."

"Did anything seem strange when you saw her?" Wesley asked.

"Now that you mention it," Gunn said. "She had a couple of bags with her. You know, suitcases. I just figured you'd talked her into staying at the hotel until everything calmed down."

"Gunn, try calling her cell," Angel said. "I'm going over there."

"Angel, it's a little sunny out there right now," Kathy said.

He tossed her his keys. "Then you're driving."

* * *

"A lot of her clothes are gone," Kathy said from the bedroom. "And shoes."

"Her high school diploma and one or two of her trophies are missing too. They're usually in the living room," Angel said as he entering the bedroom.

He paused and looked around, as though trying to divine where she had gone from the energies left in the room. His eyes fell on her bed and the creamy envelope which rested on the pillow.

"What's this?" he asked, picking it up. He unfolded the note carefully, recognising Cordelia's handwriting immediately.

_Angel,_

_I know I should have had the courage to do this in person, but I knew that I never could. Seeing you again would have made me forget all the reasons that I'm leaving and I couldn't let myself do that._

_I can't stay, Angel. Not now. Allowing anything to happen between us would be reckless. I let myself forget for a moment all the reasons that you and I can't be together and that was stupid of me. _

_We could never have worked, no matter how much we might want it to. It's just too dangerous, both to our own hearts and to the people we're supposed to be helping. I know I can be a selfish person at times, but even I can't be that selfish – to put myself before all the people that need to be saved – it wouldn't be fair to them or to the mission._

_I'm so sorry. Please believe that I never meant to hurt you. Your friendship has meant more to me than you can possibly imagine and I hate that I've destroyed that with my reckless actions._

_Please don't look for me. Believe me, it's better like this. I will be in touch to let you know that I'm safe, but please – just let me do this. And please tell the others that I'm sorry I didn't say goodbye._

_You are all my family and I will miss you all, but this is just something that I have to do._

_Goodbye._

_Cordy._

Angel dropped the note to the table and grabbed his cell phone, stabbing out the number by heart. "Pick up. Please, pick up."

* * *

Her tears were blinding her. If they kept falling, she'd most certainly have an accident. She pulled her car over, parking in a lay-by.

"Five minutes, Cordy," she said. "Then you'll stop being a whiny baby and get going."

She allowed the tears to flow freely now, harsh sobs wracking through her chest. She didn't want to go. Her heart couldn't bear the thought of her abandoning them. Her friends. Her family. Angel.

Oh god, how was this fair? She'd only just begun to realise the depths of her feelings for the vampire and now she was leaving him. After they had already lost so much? How was any of this fair?

Beneath all her sorrow was her anger. She was furious at the Powers. How could they do this to them? They had given her the visions to help their Champion and now they were letting them be parted like this? Was this all part of their grand plan? If so, Cordelia had to wonder, were they really the good guys after all?

In the end, her anger helped to calm her down. She wiped away the tears and took several long, deep breaths, readying herself to continue on her painful journey. She was almost ready to start the car once more when her cell phone sprang to life on the seat beside her.

Gunn had called her several times already, but she had ignored him each time. This time, however, she sensed that it was someone else. And there was really only one other person it could be. A glance at the screen confirmed that belief.

"Angel."

Her finger hovered over the "ignore" button. Talking to him would only make leaving harder. But she couldn't just reject his call. He deserved better than that. With a sigh, she answered.

"Cordy?"

"Yeah. Hi."

"Yeah, hi?" he said, incredulous. "Cordelia, what are you doing? This note –"

"I'm sorry I couldn't say goodbye in person, Angel. It just would have been… too hard."

"Don't say goodbye at all. Come home."

"I can't, Angel. I wish I could, but I just can't."

"Why? Cordelia, please. I need you."

"Angel, don't make this hard. This is the way it has to be."

"Cordy –"

"I'll be in touch when I figure out where I'm going. Let you know I got there safe. And I'll call, of course, if I have a vision."

"Cordy, don't do this."

"I'm sorry, Angel. I have to. Please, take care of yourself. And the others."

"Cordelia, I…"

She closed her eyes, waiting for his words to come. She had never heard Angel sound so desperate. It broke her heart to know that she was the cause.

"I love you," he said finally, his voice whispering the words like a near-silent prayer.

Fresh tears slid down her face as she ended the call. It was too much. They were making her give up far too much.

"I love you, too." She was speaking to the dial tone, but she needed to hear herself say the words, just once.

She rubbed her hands over her face. She was certain that she looked awful but couldn't bring herself to care. "Time to go," she said.

Out of the corner of her eye, she spotted someone outside her window and jumped. It was the old man, Enyos, again. Angry and frustrated, she rolled down her window.

"I'm going, okay? I'm headed out of town and I'm not coming back. You got what you wanted. Now leave me the hell alone!"

He smiled, a creepy smile that made her insides turn cold. "I'm afraid we're not quite done with you yet, Miss Chase."

Before she could reply she saw movement behind him and something stung her on the neck. She slid sideways as the world turned black.

* * *

_It's almost Christmas. Go on, make my day and review._


	14. Chapter Thirteen

**Disclaimer: AtS and its characters don't belong to me. They are the rightful property of Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt, Mutant Enemy and the WB. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes only. No infringement of copyright is intended. **

**Spoilers: Nope, none.**

**Author's Note: Stepping up the angst and drama another notch. Hope you enjoy!**

**Many thanks to **RosalieHale1997 **and **Starscape91 **for reviewing the last chapter. I really appreciate it. **

**Please read and review - it's almost Christmas! **

* * *

**Chapter Thirteen**

When Angel and Kathy returned to the hotel, Angel went straight upstairs without speaking to anyone.

"Bad news?" Wesley asked Kathy.

"She left a note," Kathy said. "She's gone. For good."

Wesley's eyes widened in shock. "Surely not! Cordelia wouldn't just up and leave. Certainly not without saying goodbye."

"She said she'd call when she ends up wherever she's going."

"But surely if Angel spoke to her, he'd – "

"He's spoken to her. On the phone. It… didn't go well."

"I don't get it," Gunn said. "This isn't like Cordy. She doesn't run away – from anything."

"Well, whatever the reason is, she's running now," Kathy said.

"So what's the plan?" Gunn said. "He's going after, right?"

"Yes, of course he will," Wesley said. "Does Angel have any ideas on how to track her down?"

Kathy shook her head. "No."

"Well, no matter. I'm sure we can figure out – "

"I mean no, he's not going after her," Kathy said. "He's letting her go."

Wesley's look of confusion quickly became one of anger. "I don't accept that," he said.

Neither Kathy nor Gunn tried to stop him as he made his way up the stairs to confront the brooding vampire.

* * *

Angel collapsed into a chair in his room, the same chair in which Cordelia had found him in the previous night. Just before they…

No, he couldn't think about that. It wasn't real. It was just a moment of weakness on both their parts. They had been lonely, reeling from Kathy's revelations. It couldn't have been real, not from her side, anyway.

She didn't love him.

How could she? He was a vampire. Cold. Dead. She was so vibrant, so full of warmth and life. What could she possibly get from loving a dead thing like him? She deserved so much more than he could ever possibly give her.

It was better this way, he told himself. She deserved a normal life, something she'd never get to have if she stayed with him, either as a friend or as a lover. He'd speak to Wesley, the Powers, do whatever he could to have the visions taken from her and then she'd truly be free. She'd be able to move on and have the life she deserved. As would he.

He deserved to be alone.

* * *

Woried brown eyes watched the unmoving figure of Cordelia, who was lying bound in the centre of the room.

Adrianna was troubled. She had been raised in her people's ways, taught to follow her culture without question. And yet, seeing this apparently innocent woman, rendered unconscious at the hand of one of her clan, she couldn't help but wonder: _Where they truly on the side of right?_

"Adrianna?"

She turned to find her grandfather watching her from the door.

"What are you doing, child?" he asked. "The ritual is about to begin."

"I was just..." She hesitated. Her grandfather had always encouraged her to speak her mind, but on this she was unsure of how he would react. "This woman. Has she done anything to us?"

"Enyos explained this to you already, child," he said. "She is bound to the vampire. He must be made to suffer as our people have suffered."

Adrianna touched the still raw bite mark on her neck. "But he saved me."

Her grandfather rapped his cane angrily on the floor. "And he would have drank from you as quickly. Do you forget what he took from our clan? He murdered a daughter precious to us. Because of him, her entire family was wiped out. And then Janna, your own cousin. Have you forgotten what he did to her?"

Adrianna lowered her eyes under his furious gaze. "No, grandfather. I haven't forgotten."

"Then come, child. You are needed in the kitchen."

She followed him into the other room which was crowded with people. She watched as they passed a earthenware chalice across the room to her grandfather, who glanced at Enyos. The man, who was standing by the wall at the far side of the room, gave an almost imperceivable nod. In response, her grandfather picked up a dagger and approached Adrianna with both it and the cup.

"Hold out your arm child."

She looked around the room and saw that everyone was holding the crook of their arms, staunching wounds of their own. All except Enyos, who stood impassively watching the scene. Adrianna did not like nor trust her great-uncle and the fact that he had declined to be bled when everyone else was expected to made her dislike him further. She scowled at him, yet obediently held her arm out to her grandfather, allowing him to cut her.

She watched, fascinated as the red, sticky liquid trickled out of her and into the cup. He bled her only for a moment and then gently bent her arm upwards to stem the flow.

Enyos smiled. "It is time."

* * *

The world felt strange. Fuzzy. Her head felt like it had been wrapped in cotton wool and plastic, then submerged beneath water. She detected a strange taste in the back of her throat then gradually came to realise that it was bile. She choked and tried to sit up but found herself pinned to the ground. She opened her eyes.

Cordelia found herself on the floor of a darkened room. The dim flickering of light in one corner indicated candles were the only light source, but they didn't do much to cut through the gloom. She tried to move again and found that ropes were holding her tight, her arms and legs outstretched and firmly bound.

She tilted her head, trying to see what was going on. She saw runic markings on the floor surrounding her. They seemed to form a circle, with her at its centre.

She rested her head back against the floor again and closed her eyes. Every move she made sent waves of nausea through her, along with sharp, shooting pains in her skull. Whatever they had knocked her out with was clearly still in her system.

A door opened and she heard footsteps. Opening her eyes again, she saw many people enter the room and surround her. Her mind panicked, flashing back to her dreams.

_Shadows moved towards her. Hooded figures gathering, circling around her. She was surrounded. Trapped. _

She struggled against her bonds, but it was no use. They were too tight. All around her the hooded figures began to chant, in a language she didn't understand, but she recognised all too well from her dreams. Only one word rang through her mind.

_Vengeance._

The old man she had spoken to earlier, Enyos, moved into her view and stood near her feet. An an old woman approached her. The crone anointed her forehead with some kind of oil.

A man, older than Enyos, loomed large above her, clutching a dagger which he raised above his head.

"Te invoc spirit al trecerii.  
Este scris, aceasta putere este dreptul poporul meu de a conduce."

He brought the dagger down, cutting into the tender flesh on her upper arm. As her blood began to flow, the old woman stooped to catch it in an earthenware cup. Into it she mixed several herbs, chanting softly as she did so. Cordelia watched her fearfully, gasping for breath as panic seized her.

The old woman handed the cup to the man, who had disgarded the dagger in favour of another, larger chalice. He poured the mixture of Cordelia's blood into it then raised it above his head.

"Luaţi această sufletul pereche de un necurat ca sacrificiul nostru.  
Dă-ne răzbunare nostru de drept.  
Face creatura suferă ca poporul nostru au avut de suferit.  
Fa-o sa vezi toate crimele lui.  
Aşa să fie! Acum!"

The old woman pushed Cordelia's jaw down, forcing her mouth open. Cordelia's eyes opened wide as she realised what they were about to do. She struggled, but the woman was surprisingly strong. All she could do was struggle and watch as the old man tipped the cup and poured the contents into her mouth.

She gagged at the coppery taste. Blood. Warm blood.

It trickled down her throat and inside of her, filling every inch of her with darkness. She felt herself slipping away; the room, the hooded figures, even the ropes which held her melting away into nothing.

At last, all she could see was him. Angel. His face full of anguish, despair. And all he could say were two words.

"_I'm sorry."_

Then the pain began, searing through her like hot irons beneath her skin. She slipped further and further into the darkness, where pain and torment would be her only companions.

* * *

Wesley found Angel exactly as he expected to. Sitting in a chair, brooding.

Pity, anger and frustration filled him with equal measure, but Wesley knew only too well that pity would do the vampire no good. He needed to act and act quickly, and enabling his self-pity would not spur him into action.

"Go away, Wesley."

"Yes, I should think you'd very much like everyone to go away, Angel," Wesley said. "But it isn't going to happen. You've been on this path for very nearly two years now, with us at your side. And we're not going to abandon you now."

"She did." Angel looked at him and Wesley had never seen such pain.

"It may seem like that, Angel. But I believe there's more to this that meets the eye. Leaving like this, it's very unlike her. I suspect there is some larger reason for her going. I really don't think she would leave of her own free will."

"No," Angel said, shaking his head. "She wrote the note. She told me on the phone. It's better this way. She can't… we can't… It would be reckless and selfish for us to be together. It's better she goes."

"For you? Or for her?"

"For her! She could never have a normal life here."

"And when did she ask for one?" Wesley asked. When Angel didn't reply, he sighed with frustration. "And so we're back to Buffy again."

"This has nothing to do with Buffy!"

"Hasn't it? You left her so that she could have a normal life. Something, as I recall, she talked at great length about wanting. But when have you ever heard Cordelia complain about the world we live in? When has she ever said that she'd like to give up the visions and go live in suburbia rather than helping the people we help every day?"

"She… she doesn't need to say it. Of course she would want to be normal if she could."

Wesley shook his head. "If you think that, then you really don't know her at all. And you certainly don't deserve her. Now, Cordelia may be in real danger. We need to find her."

"Kathy said she can probably stop the dreams and visions remotely, now she knows more about the ritual," Angel said. "She doesn't need Cordelia to be physically present."

"And you think that's the only danger she faces?" Wesley asked. "Are you really that blind? Angel, look beyond your own pain here. Someone obviously wanted Cordelia away from your protection and they held enough power over her to make her leave. That leaves her open to all kinds of attack."

"You don't know that she didn't leave of her own freewill, Wesley," Angel said. "You don't – "

He was cut off mid-sentence by a pain in his stomach, which moved up towards where his lifeless heart sat in his chest. The pain was crushing, almost unbearable. And as he felt it, he knew she was feeling it too. It was her pain that he was experiencing.

"Cordy," he said as he collapsed to the floor.

* * *

**AUTHOR'S NOTE:**

**In the ritual which which is performed in this chapter, the first and last parts are taken from the Ritual of Restoration which was performed in both BtVS and AtS ("Becoming" (parts 1 and 2) and "Orpheus"). Those lines are: _Te invoc spirit al trecerii _(Spirits of the Interregnum I call), _Este scris, aceasta putere este dreptul poporul meu de a conduce _(It is written, this power is my people's right to wield) and _Aşa să fie! Acum! _(So shall it be! Now!). These lines were borrowed for entertainment purposes only.**

**The middle part of the ritual is my own invention, and here it should be noted that I do not speak Romanian, so this is a google translation (I apologise for any errors in the language). It translates as: "_Take this soulmate of the unclean one as our sacrifice. Give us our rightful vengeance. Make the creature suffer as our people have suffered. Make her see all his crimes."_**


	15. Chapter Fourteen

**Disclaimer: The characters of AtS aren't mine, I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement intended.**

**The memory Angel has of visiting a hospital before is ta****ken from Season 1's "To Shanshu in LA", written by David Greenwalt. **

**The opening of this chapter is taken from my story "Kathy", which was in turn based on dialogue which occurred in Season's "The Prodigal", written by Tim Minear.**

**Spoilers: For "The Prodigal" and "To Shanshu in LA".**

**Author's Note: I had planned on updating yesterday, but it was the end of the school term and craziness ensued as it always does, with report cards to write and school carol services to attend. **

**This is quite a dark chapter and I don't really like it, but it's necessary to get us where we're going. Merry Christmas Eve's Eve!**

* * *

**Chapter Fourteen**

"_Liam?" Her voice was small and childlike, yet it was unmistakably Kathy who spoke. "Is that you?"_

"_Yes sweet Kathy, it's me."_

"_You've come back to me, then?" Her innocent eyes opened wide with wonder. "You're an angel."_

_He smiled. "Will you not ask me in Kathy?"_

"_Of course. This is your home. You will always be welcome here."_

_Thus invited, the new-born Angelus entered his family home. Kathy threw her arms around his neck._

"_I thought I'd never see you again," she said through her tears._

"_Sure, didn't I tell you that we'd be together again," he said as his face changed._

_With more force than necessary, he bared her neck and sunk his teeth in, enjoying the squeal of pain and surprise that came from her. Her sweet blood coated his tongue, making him crave more and more, as he tore even more savagely at her throat._

Cordelia could taste her blood. She could feel her pain, her fear, as though it were her own. More than anything, she could feel the quality of the betrayal. The child had trusted her brother beyond anyone else in her world. And he had torn her throat out.

The pain filled her, making her body thrash, unable to escape it. She experienced every last moment of the girl's death, in seemingly slow motion, prolonging each delirious second of agony, as her heart slowed and eventually stopped.

And then she moved on to the next victim.

* * *

All but a few had now departed the house. Adrianna, her grandfather and Enyos where the only ones who still remained.

Cordelia had been untied after the ceremony and Adrianna watched as the woman thrashed on the ground again, clearly in terrible, terrible pain. Her mouth opened wide in a silent scream. Her fingers tore at her skin, her throat, her clothes. Her eyes stared, unblinking, unseeing. She was completely lost to the darkness.

The young gypsy girl's skin crawled at the thoughts of what Cordelia must be experiencing. Despite what Enyos and her grandfather claimed, she could not imagine anything that the woman, or even the vampire, could have done to deserve such torture.

"Come child." Her grandfather beckoned to her. "It is time we left."

"What about her?" Adrianna indicated the still thrashing Cordelia.

"She will remain here. Come quickly."

She watched as he and Enyos left the house. Then Adrianna picked up the phone in the kitchen and called for an ambulance.

* * *

Kathy and Gunn dashed up the stairs and to Angel's room at the sound of his yells. Whatever they had expected to find it was not Angel, curled in a ball, screaming with pain.

"What the hell is happening?" Kathy asked Wesley.

"I don't know. He collapsed to the ground in great pain. The only thing he's managed to say so far is 'Cordy'."

"Oh god," Kathy said, her eyes widening with fear as she realised what was happening. "They've already performed the ritual."

"The ritual that will unleash Angelus?" Gunn asked, gripping his weapon tighter. "That ritual?"

Kathy dropped to her knees at her brother's side. "Angel! Angel, can you hear me?"

At the sound of her voice, he looked at her, his eyes filled with torment. "Oh god – too much... So much pain... I'm so sorry."

Wesley looked on concerned. "He seems to be experiencing the full force of the ritual. Everything that Cordelia is going through."

Kathy shook her head. "Trust me, whatever Cordy's going through is much worse." She shook Angel. "Angel, you need to focus. Come on! You experience the guilt for your past deeds every day. You live with it. _Every day_. You can handle this!"

Angel shook his head, mouthing nonsensical words. To Wesley and Gunn's surprise, Kathy drew back her hand and slapped her brother hard across the face.

"Snap out of it now! Cordelia needs you!"

Angel blinked. Shaking his head as though to clear it, his eyes focused on the woman in front of him. "Cordy. We need to find her!"

* * *

Wesley was glad they didn't encounter any patrol cars on their drive to the address near Seoul Park. They didn't so much as pause at a single stop-sign or red light the entire way.

They followed as Angel dashed from the car under a blanket, the sun now fairly high in the sky. But the trip had been wasted. It took only seconds to establish that the house was empty.

"Damn! Wrong place. Do we have another address for these gypsy guys?" Gunn asked.

"No, this is the right place," Angel said. "She was here. Just a few minutes ago."

He was calmer now. When Wesley looked at him, he could still see the pain flashing through his eyes, but Angel wasn't letting it control him. He was entirely focused now on finding Cordelia. He walked around the room, smelling things their human noses could never detect.

"I can smell her fear," he said. "And blood. Probably what they used in the ritual. And something else..." He took another sniff. "Antiseptic. Some kind of sanitiser?"

"Well, she's not in any fit state to be wandering around under her own steam," Wesley said. "So where would they have taken her?"

Gunn was the first with a reasonable suggestion. The antiseptic smell Angel had picked up had given him an idea. "Where's the nearest hospital?"

* * *

It had taken two nurses and an orderly in addition to the paramedics to get their Jane Doe into a bed and strap her down. Her flailing had not let up for a moment and, more than once, they were convinced that she would break a bone – whether it would be one of her own or theirs was anyone's guess.

News of the case must have travelled quickly through the hospital, because a doctor appeared to administer a powerful sedative, having only been paged once.

It was pointless, however. The drugs didn't make the slightest impact on her or the sustained seizure she seemed to be having. If anything, she was worse. Now she was screaming.

* * *

It didn't take Angel's vampire senses to hear Cordelia's screams as they entered St. Vincent's. Immediately, his mind went back to the night, not long ago, when he had been summoned to a different hospital. Cordelia's screams had greeted him then too.

_Angel ran down the hospital corridor and stopped at the nurse's station._

_"I'm looking for Cordelia Chase," he said._

_The nurse looked nervous as soon as he said the name. "She is... ah, the doctor is with her. If you'll just have a seat over there –" _

_Before she could utter another word, Angel heard Cordelia scream. The sound was beyond pain, beyond fear, and it cut right through him. He didn't wait for another excuse the nurse would try to fob him off with. Instead, he ran towards the sound of Cordy's voice._

This time, Angel didn't stop to talk to anyone. He just ran, following the sound of her screams.

* * *

**I will consider all reviews to be shiny shiny Christmas presents!**


	16. Chapter Fifteen

**Disclaimer: The characters of AtS aren't mine. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. No infringement intended.**

**Spoilers: None.**

**Author's Note: **_I have a flight to catch tomorrow, so I thought I'd upload this chapter now. I'm going home for the holidays and I'll be taking a little break from the story. Not a long one, I promise, but I have loved ones I haven't seen in a few months and I want to spend some time with them, you know how it is._

_To make up for the lack-luster previous chapter, this one has my favourite scene so far (yes, even more so that Cordy and Angel finally kissing). The conversation between Angel and Kathy was one of the first things I wrote for this story several years ago and I still love it. I hope you do to. If you do, please please review. _

_Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year to you all!_

* * *

**Chapter Fifteen**

Angel left Wesley to the task of providing the hospital with Cordelia's medical history and information. As soon as he got to his seer's side, he made it very clear that he would not be leaving any time soon.

As he held Cordy's hand, he could feel the pain she was experiencing radiating through her. She continued to thrash and scream regularly, the drugs the doctors constantly seemed to be administering not making a dent in her condition. They were at a loss as to what to do for her. Angel knew how they felt.

He didn't notice when Kathy left the room with Gunn and was surprised when he saw them return, surreptitiously carrying a large, leather-bound book and a box into the room.

"What –?" he started to ask, but stopped when Kathy put a finger to her lips.

"Gunn, get the door and the curtains," Kathy said quietly. "We only have a few minutes."

She took several large crystals from the box Gunn had been carrying and placed them around Cordelia's head. Then she picked up a small bag filled with iridescent powder.

"What's going on?" Angel asked.

"I already explained this to you. I guess you really weren't listening," Kathy said. "Conventional drugs aren't working and her body can't take much more of this, so I'm going to put Cordy into a mystical coma until we figure out how to reverse all of this."

She opened the book and began to chant softly, while Wesley and Gunn guarded the door. As Angel watched, the crystals began to glow, becoming brighter as Kathy continued with the spell. She poured some of the powder into her hand and sprinkled it over Cordelia's thrashing body. The light in the crystals intensified and then their light disappeared.

The change was instantaneous. Though she had been fitting and screaming just seconds before, Cordelia now lay perfectly still, the anguish on her face completely gone. Now, she might have been simply sleeping.

Kathy rushed to hide the evidence as a nurse burst into the room, shocked to find her patient's condition dramatically altered. When she ran to find a doctor, Kathy slipped away, removing all traces of the spell she had performed from the room.

In the end, the doctor's didn't think anything suspicious of the change in Cordelia. They merely congratulated themselves on finding the correct drug to sedate the patient.

An hour later, Wesley and Gunn had gone to Caritas to consult the Host on possible mystical treatments for Cordelia. Kathy sat in the waiting room, meditating on the problem herself and coming up blank. Something seemed to be blocking her. Every time she tried to focus on what was happening to Cordelia, she found the uncontrollable anger bubbled up within her as it had when she had confronted the gypsy woman. It was all she could do to keep it in check, let alone do anything productive like thinking.

Angel left the room and slumped, broken, into a chair beside his sister.

"Any change?"

Angel shook his head.

"They're doing tests," he said. "They made me leave."

Despite the seriousness of the situation, Kathy found that she almost smiled at the thought of anyone, barring Cordelia, making Angel do anything.

They sat in silence, lost in their own thoughts. A few minutes later, a crashing noise startled her back the present.

Angel had kicked a chair clear across the waiting room.

"Angel!"

Grabbing him by the arm, she pulled him towards the exit. He waited until they were in the car park before he began his ranting.

"Why do I keep letting this happen!"

"You don't - Angel, it's not your fault."

"The hell it isn't," he replied, his eyes flashing with fury. "I'm the one who brought her into this world. She came to LA to escape Sunnydale, and she could have, if it weren't for me. She should be out living life, not stuck in the shadows fighting demons. Getting visions that are slowly killing her. And now this? How is that right? _I_ deserve this. This is my atonement. But she's done nothing to deserve it, Kathy. Nothing!"

He lapsed into silence, slumping against his car, his fury exercised, leaving nothing but despair in its wake.

"I can't keep putting her through this," he said quietly. "If... when she pulls through, that's it. She'll be better off away from me."

"And what about the visions? You think just because you send her away, cut her out of your life, that they'll just stop."

He flinched as though her words had physically hurt him. "Don't. Don't put it like that, like this is what I _want_. I want her in my life. I need her. But what I want and need doesn't matter now."

"You really love her, don't you?"

Her question seemed to startle him. But she didn't wait for him to answer.

"No wonder you want to send her away. You must be terrified."

"Kathy," he said, warning her to stop.

"No, you said your piece. It's my turn," Kathy said. "The thought of loving anyone really scares you, doesn't it?"

He looked at her as though she were crazy. "In case it's slipped your mind, I have a problem with love. It tends to make me a little too happy."

"It's nothing to do with Angelus or your curse," Kathy told him. "You never wanted anyone to get that close to you. Don't think I haven't seen it before. I grew up with you, Liam."

"Don't."

"I love you, brother, but I'm not blind to your faults. Mary Lynch was madly in love with you - a fine upstanding daughter of a prosperous merchant. And you were very much taken with her, if I'm not mistaken. I saw the way you looked at her. But then marriage was mentioned, and you went running scared. Straight into the arms of our housemaid."

Angel was shocked by her memories. "How do you know all this? You were a child."

"I had ears and eyes, didn't I? I knew a lot more about was going on than Father and Mother ever wanted me to know. You went from one girl to the next in our little home town. Running away from Mary Lynch, who would have made an honest man of you."

Angel looked down at the ground. "That has nothing to do with…"

"Doesn't it? You mean to tell me that somewhere, deep down, you aren't glad of your curse? Aren't a little bit relieved that you're able to use it as an excuse not to get too close? Because you're afraid to love. Because you're afraid to be loved. Because you've never felt worthy of it."

Angel pushed away from the car in frustration. "And so the witch becomes a psychiatrist? You're way off base on this."

"Am I? You're telling me that part of the reason you left Sunnydale wasn't because you believed you didn't deserve Buffy's love? That you felt it was only a matter of time before she rejected you, and so you left before she had a chance - "

"Enough."

But she wouldn't stop. "Because our _noble_ father couldn't bond with his only son. Because he made you pay for that fact, daily, for the entirety of your natural life. Because of _his_ inadequacies. _His_ failings. He punished you and made you feel so worthless, that all you could do was go out into the world and be the man he said you were."

"Why are you doing this?" Angel looked close to breaking point, the anguish in his eyes almost too much for her to bear.

"Because you're my brother and I love you. Because you've lived for more than two centuries under the misapprehension that our father was right about you. But he wasn't. God rest his soul, he wasn't. You're a good man, Angel. You could have been a great man back then, had he let you. But you're more than making up for it now. And that's the man that Cordelia sees when she looks at you. Not the wild, scoundrel of a man that father bullied you into becoming. But the noble man with a good heart that you are now. And always were, deep down."

Angel slumped down on the curb, overwhelmed by her words. "I have nothing to offer her, Kathy," he said. "She deserves –"

"She deserves to be with the man she loves. Who loves her. Above and beyond that is just something you'll have to figure out as you go."


	17. Chapter Sixteen

**Disclaimer: **The characters are not mine and this story is not for profit. No infringement of copyright is intended - for entertainment purposes only.

**Spoilers: **None for the show. References to the previous story in this series, _"Belief"._

**Author's Note: **_Hi everyone. Hope you had a wonderful Christmas and New Year. Sorry my hiatus was a little long. I needed to spend serious quality time with my loved ones while I was home for the holidays and this past week has been busy, settling in to a new school term. On that note, I have to warn you that my updates won't be quite as regular as they were in December. I'm going to be preparing my students for exams and that's going to eat into a lot of my free time. However, I'm still committed to finishing this story in the very near future, never fear._

_Lorne finally makes an appearance in the series! I enjoy writing for the verdant demon, so I was happy when I realised it was important for him to make an appearance. Hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed writing it. As always, your reviews are hugely appreciated._

* * *

Lorne knew a lot of people, not to mention a whole lot more who weren't really people at all. He was a spiritual and mystical go-to-guy. If he couldn't set you on your path directly, he could usually tell you who could or, at the very least, point you in the right direction with one of his trademarked cryptic clues. But even he had limits. And right now, he seemed to have reached his.

"The conduit can't help you this time, kids," he said. "The Powers? Well, they don't like to interfere in gypsy affairs."

"But Cordelia is their messenger," Wesley said. "Without her, the prophecies they have folded time to protect are meaningless. Surely they have to do something."

"You'd think. What can I tell ya? The Powers work in mysterious ways. They won't fix this directly. We're going to need a more creative route. I just wish I knew what that was. If Cordilicious could sing for me..."

"That's kind of hard right now," Gunn said, his patience wearing thin. "With her being in a coma and all."

"Hmm." The green demon thought for a moment. "Send Angelcakes over here. They share a connection. There's a good chance I'll get something if I read him."

"Angel's going to have to sing?" Gunn asked, faintly horrified.

Lorne grimaced. "Mr. Manilow and I are afraid so."

* * *

It took some persuading to get Angel to leave the hospital, but Kathy eventually got him to Caritas, leaving Wesley and Gunn to watch over Cordelia. When he arrived outside the bar, Angel was in no mood to wait around while Kathy found a parking spot. Instead, he leapt out of the still moving vehicle and hurried inside.

The evening was still early, so the club was quiet, with only a few regulars milling around. He found Lorne lounging by the bar, sea breeze in hand.

"Oh Mandy. Well you came and you gave without taking," he sang without pausing for pleasantries. "What do you see?"

"Well, hello to you too, Angelkins," Lorne said. "Aren't you the eager beaver. I see being in love hasn't mellowed you – much."

"How do I save Cordelia?"

"Well, looks like what I told the boys was wrong. The conduit is the answer," Lorne said.

"I need to go to the conduit?"

"No. Cordy does."

"Gee, Lorne, that's kind of difficult right now."

"Don't worry about the Princess," Lorne said. "That's all in hand. That's _her_ quest. You have one of your own."

"A quest? Where? What?"

"In order to break the dark magic that is tormenting your soul mate, you need a powerful counter-spell of your own."

"And that would be...?"

"Forgiveness."

"Forgiveness?" Angel was confused, which was not an unusual experience for him when talking to the Host. "Who am I supposed to forgive?"

"You've got that backwards, sweetcheeks. You're the one who needs to be forgiven."

"By who..." Angel trailed off as he realised what the demon was suggesting. "The Kalderash have to forgive me in order to break the spell?"

"Bingo."

"That's never going to happen, Lorne. You know that. There has to be another way."

"That's it, Angelcakes. Your eggs are all in one ironic, gypsy-cursed basket," Lorne said. "But I'll tell you this much. It could still go either way at this point. So don't give up hope just yet."

"Where can we find them?" Kathy asked for the foot of the stairs.

As Lorne turned to look at her, his eyes widened and his mouth fell open. If it were possible, he looked greener than usual as he fought the urge to be physically sick.

Kathy stopped and looked at the demon, confused by his reaction. "What?" she asked.

"Girl, you have some serious dark vibes coming off you. In waves," he said. "Whatever's building up in you, you'd better let go of it and fast. That way lies badness."

Kathy glared at him. "You don't know what you're talking about," she said. "I'm fine.

"What?" Angel asked. "What do you see, Lorne?"

"He sees nothing," Kathy said.

With that, she turned on her heel and left the bar.

"Lorne?"

Lorne slumped down onto a bar stool, still looking nauseous. "Nothing specific. But I could see her aura and it... let's just say it's not looking too good right now."

"What do you mean?"

"It's black, Angel. Pure black."

* * *

Wesley felt his eyes becoming heavy, his head beginning to nod. Sitting up straighter in his chair, he hoped Gunn would return soon with the dark sludge the hospital called coffee. He needed something to keep him awake.

He glanced across to the hospital bed where Cordelia lay. There had been no change. His heart was heavy with the though of what she had been through, what she was still going through. He hoped that they would find a way to help her soon.

He hadn't realised that his eyes had closed and he certainly didn't know how long they had been closed for when he was startled by a strange noise. Opening his eyes, he looked around for its source. His gaze fell on Cordelia's bed, rumpled and empty.

Cordelia was gone.

Just then, Gunn entered the room. "Man, I think this sludge is worse than the last batch," he said. He did a double-take when he saw the empty bed. "Where's Cordy?"

"I was rather wondering that myself," Wesley replied.

"How the hell did you lose a woman in a coma, English?" Gunn asked. Then, the expression on his face changed, from incredulity to abject horror. "Man, Angel's gonna kill us."

* * *

Kathy watched, armed folded, as Angel came out of the club clutching a piece of paper. An address provided by Lorne, she assumed.

"So, where are we going?"

"You're not coming," Angel said. "What Lorne said in there –"

"Is bull," Kathy said. "I didn't even sing for him, Angel. He didn't read me right. I'm fine."

"He saw something building in you, Kathy," Angel said. "You're a powerful witch. A good witch. But I've heard of even the best witches falling into darkness when they get too close to it. I don't want that to happen to you."

"It won't."

"What happened last month, when we fought Doodheks. You channelled some pretty powerful magics, and I - "

"Stop worrying about me," she said. "I'm fine. Really. Now come on. Let's find these gypsies and finish this."


	18. Chapter Seventeen

**Disclaimer: The characters from AtS aren't mine. They belong to Joss Whedon, David Greenwalt and Mutant Enemy. I'm just borrowing them for entertainment purposes. No copyright infringement intended.**

**Spoilers: Up to and including season 2 of AtS. Allusion to BtVS season 2, "Innocence" at the end of the chapter.**

**Author's Note: **_So, I left the last chapter on a bit of a cliffhanger and I'm not going to lie to you - this chapter ends with one too. It's what I do. Sorry. But don't worry, we're steadily heading towards the climax of the story._

_Remember in my author's note for Chapter 11 how I mentioned the glaring continuity error that was actually deliberate? Well, it makes itself known at the end of the chapter._

_Thanks to everyone who's still reading this story. I appreciate your patience. I'm going to try and get at least a chapter a week posted from here on in, so bear with me. As always, your thoughts and comments are gratefully received._

* * *

The blackness which had previously been complete and all-consuming was now cast out by a glaring, gleaming white light. So bright it hurt her eyes to look at it. And it was at that point that she realised, to her surprise, that her eyes were open.

"Coma, followed by a white light?" Cordelia said, shielding her eyes against the glare. "Oh crap! This is it. I'm dead!"

"Still looking on the bright-side, I see?" said a familiar voice behind her.

She spun around, but all she could see was the oppressive whiteness. "Hello?"

The voice spoke again in his distinctive drawl. "How's it going, Princess?"

And then the light faded a little and she could finally see him. Despite her fear, she smiled as she looked upon the face of her friend.

"Hi Doyle."

* * *

To say that Wesley and Gunn were worried would be an understatement. While the former watcher stood, utterly dumbfounded, Gunn marched to the bed, nonsensically pulling back the covers as though Cordelia might be hiding beneath them.

"Yes, Gunn. I'm sure she's just playing a simple game of hide and seek with us."

"You got a better idea? Let's hear it," Gunn said. "Apart from the fact that our undead boss is probably going to rediscover his bloodlust when he finds out we lost his girl, how are we supposed to explain all this to the doctors?"

"That's a good point," Wesley said. "Especially since we don't know what happened ourselves."

Gunn took a look out the door. "Someone's going to come check on her soon. And when they do, we best not be here."

"Agreed. Let's go to Caritas. Angel needs to know what had happened and perhaps the host will know what on earth is going on."

* * *

The warehouse was as nondescript as the house they had previously visited in Korea town. Low-rent and run-down, they had simply moved neighborhoods, a little closer to downtown. All the better to blend in and disappear, Kathy supposed.

Angel leaned back in the driver's seat and sighed. His fingers thrummed on the steering wheel and he made no move to get out of the car.

"Got a plan?" Kathy asked, genuinely at a loss as to how they were going to approach this.

"Not even the fragment of a plan," he said. "In situations like this, I would normally go with my patented sudden burst of violence, but clearly that's not going to work this time. I just wish..."

She waited, but he didn't continue the thought. "You wish...?"

"I wish Cordy was here." He ran a hand through the messy spikes of his hair. "She was always better at coming up with non-violent plans."

Kathy considered this. "Well, what do you think she'd tell you to do right now?"

He shrugged. "I don't know." He thought for a moment. "She'd probably tell me to get off my butt and just go apologise."

"There you go."

He laughed humourlessly. "Yeah, but that's a dumb plan. I mean, I love Cordy, but she's a little naïve when it comes to this stuff. They're not going to forgive me just because I say I'm sorry."

"Are you?"

"Am I what?"

"Sorry."

He paused again to give this some thought. He was just opening his mouth to answer when Kathy's hands curled into fists, her knuckles whitening. Angel's gaze went from his sisters hands to the building they had come to visit, following her line of sight. An old woman had come outside, shuffling on tired feet to scatter something around the front stoop, before retreating inside once more.

"Kathy?" When she didn't respond, he reached out and touched her shoulder gently. "Are you okay?"

Finally dragging her attention away from the warehouse, she turned to look at him. He was startled to see her eyes had turned completely black.

"Kathy? What's going on?"

She closed her eyes and shook her head. When she opened them again, they had returned to their natural shade of brown.

"She just did a warding spell. Something to keep us out. They must be expecting us."

"So we can't get inside?" he asked.

She rummaged around in the back-seat for her bag. Pulling out a spell book and a vial of iridescent powder, she opened the car door. "I'll get us in."

Using the bonnet of his car as a table, she flicked through the pages until she found what she was looking for. Her lips moved slightly as she read the incantation several times, familiarising herself with it. Then, leaving the book still open on top of the car, she turned and walked towards the building.

Angel sprang after her. "Hey, wait. What about the plan?"

"We don't have a plan, Angel," she said. "We're just going to have to wing it, ok? Now stand back."

Muttering the incantation under her breath, she scattered the contents of the vial around the area that the old woman had just enchanted. The powder glowed as it hit the pavement, sending up sparks. But when Kathy tried to move forward, her way was still blocked.

"What's wrong?"

"The charm's more powerful than I thought," she said. "Tricky, tricky. Well, let's play, shall we."

Throwing her hands out in front of her, touching the invisible forcefield, she began to draw energy from it. Her head snapped back, her eyes cast towards the heavens.

"Hecate! I invoke thee! Do not let my supplication go unanswered! Fill me with your power and knowledge. Unblock my path!"

A wind sprang up, whirling dust around the witch's feet like a mini-cyclone. Oblivious to this, Kathy continued her incantation, crying out for Hecate's assistance. Within moments, she had punched a hole in the forcefield, one large enough for both of them to pass through.

"Go!" she said, gesturing for Angel to hurry. As he passed by her, she followed through the hole. And as quickly as it had came, the wind disappeared, replaced by an eerie silence.

Kathy knew her eyes were once again black, but paid little attention to that fact. She felt strong. She felt powerful. She knew that whatever was waiting for them inside the warehouse, she could not only face it, but easily defeat it. There was a time that Kathy would have been disturbed, even frightened by this over-confidence. But now, all she felt was the power surging through her. And it felt wonderful.

* * *

"So, you're happy to see me, then?"

Cordelia raised her eyebrows at him. "Of course I'm happy to see you, idiot!"

Doyle shrugged. "I figured you'd have forgotten all about me. Now that you've moved on and everything."

"Forgotten you? What are you..." Then it hit her. "Oh, you mean –"

"Finally went and fell for Mr. Tall Dark and Brooding, didn't you?" he said with a smirk. "I knew you would in the end."

"Doyle –"

He smiled at her, a broad, genuine smile meant to set her mind at ease. "Hey, I'm fine with it. Really. You deserve a champion, Princess, and he's the real deal. You both deserve a little happiness."

She reached out and was both pleased and surprised to find that she could touch his shoulder. "Thank you."

"But if he hurts you, I'll come back and haunt him in the most annoying way possible," the Irish-man said with a devilish grin. "You make sure and tell him that."

She smiled and nodded, before the thought of never getting the chance to tell Angel anything hit her. "Doyle? Am I...? Am I dead?"

"Dead?" He shook his head. "No you're not dead. Not yet, anyway."

She sighed with relief. "Oh good, I was wor – Wait. Not yet?"

"Ok, so here's the deal," he said. "The visions? They're not meant for humans. They're too powerful, too destructive. Even as a half-demon, I struggled with them. But for you..."

"They're killing me."

Reluctantly, he nodded. "I messed up, giving them to you, Princess. I didn't know this would happen. I'm sorry."

"No. Don't apologise," she said. "They're maybe the best thing that ever happened to me. I mean, the most painful thing too, sure. But... you remember how I was Doyle. I was awful."

"You weren't so bad."

"I was. I don't know why... I don't know how you..." She shook her head, refusing to become maudlin. "But the visions, they changed me. I've seen the pain, the suffering out there. And I'm helping. We're helping. Angel, Wesley, Gunn and me. And now Kathy. And I feel like finally – _finally_ – I'm a part of something. Something important. And without the visions? I'd still be that shallow, ex-rich girl from Sunnydale."

Doyle shook his head. "That stuff was already inside you, love. You wanted to help long before you got the visions. They just helped to focus you. And you'll still be an amazing woman, even if the Powers take them away again."

"What?" Her eyes danced with fury. "No! They're not taking my visions!"

* * *

_No violence. No violence._ Angel repeated this mantra over and over in his head and he moved towards the door of the building. But as he reached for the handle, the door burst open violently. Eyes black and body emanating a power he had not seen from her before, Kathy walked past him and into the warehouse. Lorne's earlier warning ringing in his ears, he hurried in behind her.

A dozen or so of the Kalderash were inside, some seated around a table, eating a meal together, one girl sitting apart from the others, reading. They all looked up at the intrusion, fearful but not really surprised.

"Vampire," the old woman said. "I wondered what was taking you so long."

Kathy stepped forward. "Do you think this is a game, crone? I warned you what would happen if you did anything to Cordelia."

"We're not here to fight," Angel said, walking forward slowly, his hands in front of him, palms down, in as non-threatening a gesture as he could muster. "I just want to talk."

"Since when do vampires come to talk," said a voice from a dark corner of the room. "They come to feed. To kill. To torture. But to talk? You have lost your edge, Angelus."

"Don't call him that!" Kathy said.

The figure stepped out of the shadows, smiling. "Denying his name does not change what he is, witch."

Angel stared at the new-comer in surprise. Enyos met his gaze and sneered.

"You remember me, vampire?"

"I should," Angel said. "I killed you over three years ago."

* * *

_**Author's Note****: **So there you have it. Jenny's uncle Enyos, who Angelus killed back in season 2 of Buffy is back. Or is he? Who is he really? Well, you're just going to have to wait for the next chapter to find out for sure. In the meantime, if you want to speculate, feel free to review._


End file.
